Expert issues ‘huge’ Chelsea claim as star duo’s absence revealed
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has “big calls” to make to ensure that Ruben Loftus-Cheek and N’Golo Kante are not disadvantaged by their Covid vaccination status.
That is the view of medical expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in injury and data analysis.
Tuchel confirmed that Loftus-Cheek, 26, and Kante, 31, are both absent from Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the United States because of their vaccine status, as quoted by BBC Sport last Friday (15 July).
The German manager has also claimed that he would now think twice before signing un-jabbed players because of potential complications around international travel.
But Dinnery insists that the situation does not warrant “drama” in the media and that Chelsea will have been well prepared for the duo to miss pre-season preparations.
“I think it’s tough because I’m certainly aware that Chelsea aren’t the only club that this has happened to,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“They will have been prepared for this for some time, especially with reference to those pre-season programmes.
“Ultimately, I don’t think it should cause a huge amount of drama. These players need to build and be ready for game week one, but they can do that in other ways.
“Again, players might choose not to get the jab for a variety of reasons. They have that right and it’s down to the club to make these big calls and find solutions when things like this arise.”
In other news, pundit claims Chelsea in “turmoil” amid real reason for Raphinha snub