Chelsea injury boost as two forgotten stars are close to comebacks after long lay-offs
TWO of Chelsea’s forgotten stars Armando Broja and Benoit Badiashile are reportedly close to a comeback after being out injured.
Mauricio Pochettino has been given a major boost as the pair are set to return to Stamford Bridge.
Broja, 22, won the treble of the U18 Premier League, Premier League Cup and FA Youth Cup.
The academy graduate has had two loan spells while at Chelsea one in 2020-21 at Vitesse and then 2021-22 at Southampton.
But he was ruled out for a large part of last season after suffering a knee injury in a friendly against Aston Villa in December.
According to football pundit Nizaar Kinsella Broja’s comeback is close.
He said on the London is Blue podcast: “Armando Broja is extremely close to being back.
“Chelsea have been very cautious with him because it was an ACL injury.
“But he looks in great shape and people consider him to be back stronger than before.”
Meanwhile, new signing Romeo Lavia, who is yet to feature for the Blues, is set to be sidelined for six weeks with a suspected ankle injury.
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French international Badiashile joined as a big-money move from Monaco in January but has been out since pre-season with a hamstring injury.
With the arrival of Axel Disasi and the return of academy graduate Levi Colwill from his loan at Brighton, the 22-year-old has a lot of competition for a place.
Kinsella spoke about Badiashile’s return to Pochettino’s squad.
He continued: “He has been out for quite a while so I expect to see him in the U21 with Broja.
“Chelsea really wanted to keep Colwill and they are going to find a way to play him and Badiashile together.
“We should see him back soon hopefully in the next run of games.”
Both forgotten stars may make a return to Chelsea’s U21 squad before hitting the main stage of Poch’s starting XI, according to Kinsella.