Frank Lampard is confident that N’Golo Kante will return to full fitness “very soon”, following injury.
The Chelsea midfielder has flown home from the club’s pre-season tour of Japan in order to receive medical treatment on a knee problem.
Kante has been struggling with the injury since the lead-up to last season’s Europa League final win over Arsenal.
It means he is expected to miss Chelsea’s opening Premier League game of 2019/20 – a mouthwatering trip to Manchester United on August 11th.
Lampard is still waiting to get his first glimpse of Kante in action since becoming the Blues’ new manager, but told reporters that it isn’t far away:
He is okay. It was a decision that I made because I felt that him being here, with the facilities and the moving and travel that we have been doing, it probably wasn’t the most beneficial for him.
He went back, has had a few days at Cobham, working well, progressing, so hopefully by the time that we get back at the end of the week I will sit down with the doctor and hopefully know that he will be back with us very soon.
The Frenchman is now arguably the first name on Chelsea’s team-sheet, following the exit of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid.
With the club unable to sign players because of a two-window transfer ban, getting Kante back to full fitness is of paramount importance.
It will be a huge relief to supporters that his absence is only short-term, however, given his impact since joining from Leicester City in 2016.
