Photo: @cfcunofficial (Chelsea Debs) London / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
.jpg){kind=link}
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has confirmed that Mykhailo Mudryk and Danny Welbeck are both available to feature during the club's pre-season tour in Hong Kong. The pair joined the squad on Monday for the second leg of the trip.
Welbeck's transfer from Brighton and Hove Albion was officially confirmed on Friday. Mudryk, meanwhile, has returned to group training after anti-doping proceedings that kept him sidelined since December 2024 were resolved.
'Yes,' Alonso said when asked whether the duo are ready to play. 'He (Mudryk) came direct from the airport to the hotel. Yesterday was more about the feelings, the emotions to be back with the team more than assessing the fitness level. He could play, maybe 90 minutes too early, but he can be selected. He is selected so he can play.'
The pair joined a group of players — including Mike Penders, Gabriel Slonina, Geovany Quenda and Pedro Neto — who linked up with the squad ahead of a fixture against a Serie A side at Kai Tak Stadium on Wednesday.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez is also back in contention after missing Chelsea's previous pre-season match against Tottenham Hotspur. Alonso confirmed the Spaniard is 'much better' following a minor injury, having been involved in open training on Monday evening.
Jordan Henderson, whose signing was officially confirmed on Monday, is not in Hong Kong. The 36-year-old midfielder is on a short holiday after helping England finish third at this summer's World Cup before reporting to Cobham. Henderson sustained an arm injury during the tournament.
'With Jordan, we expect he can start training with all the rest of the players who were involved in the semis of the World Cup,' Alonso said. 'We need to assess Jordan because of the injury he had, how long it will take for him to be fit to compete. He can train but we need to be aware of the situation.'