Chelsea have been handed a major boost in their Premier League campaign with the return of Romeo Lavia to full training. The 21-year-old midfielder, who has battled through a series of injuries this season, has now resumed training with the team after being sidelined for the past couple of weeks. Lavia was spotted at Chelsea’s Cobham training facility on Wednesday morning, undergoing rigorous training sessions as he edges closer to a return to competitive action.
Although Lavia will not be included in the squad for Thursday’s Conference League clash against Legia Warsaw, he is expected to be in contention for selection in Chelsea’s upcoming Premier League match against Fulham on Saturday. The Belgian international made his first appearance in months during the loss to Arsenal before the international break but was soon sidelined again after suffering another injury setback. This forced him to miss key matches, including Chelsea’s recent victory over Tottenham and the subsequent draws with Brentford and Ipswich Town in the league.
Since his move from Southampton in the summer of 2023, Lavia has struggled to stay fit, making just 14 appearances in all competitions, accumulating fewer than 650 minutes on the pitch. Despite the setbacks, Chelsea are optimistic about his future with the club and have been cautious with managing his playing time, even when he has been fit. Manager Enzo Maresca has reiterated that the club’s primary focus is to keep Lavia in top condition, acknowledging the challenge of balancing his fitness and match minutes.
Looking ahead to next season, Maresca is hopeful that Lavia will be able to contribute more frequently. The Italian coach highlighted that Lavia has already shown signs of improvement in the 2024/25 campaign compared to his first season with Chelsea, which was plagued by injuries. Maresca stated, “If you compare Romeo’s games this season to last season, he has already improved. This season, the goal is to maintain his fitness as much as we can, and next year, we expect him to play more games.”
Lavia’s return to fitness comes as Chelsea prepares for the final stretch of the season, and the club will be keen to avoid further injury setbacks as they aim to finish strongly in the Premier League. The club is also managing Lavia’s workload with caution, similar to the situation with Reece James, another key player who has struggled with injuries this season. As Chelsea prepares for their second-leg Conference League match, they are already in a commanding position, having secured a 3-0 advantage in the first leg against Legia Warsaw in Poland last week.
While Lavia’s absence has been a blow to Chelsea’s midfield this season, his potential return to action will be a welcome addition to the squad as the team seeks to secure a solid finish in the league. The club remains hopeful that, with careful management, Lavia can stay fit and become an integral part of their midfield for the remainder of the season and beyond.
