Overview

• Ahead of the West Ham trip, Enzo Maresca said Chelsea are pursuing internal solutions at centre-back after initially signalling a desire to sign another defender.
• Levi Colwill has undergone successful ACL surgery and has begun a long rehabilitation that is expected to run well into 2026.
• Reports from the Evening Standard, relayed by EPL Index, describe Adarabioyo’s setback as very minor with a possible return to training this week, though his involvement on Friday remains uncertain.
• Club figures are backing recent arrival Jorrel Hato and academy graduate Josh Acheampong to cover, with Acheampong having started the Premier League opener against Crystal Palace.
• External recruitment remains only speculative at this stage, with GiveMeSport-linked reports noting Chelsea interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapié and rival monitoring by Tottenham and Atlético Madrid.