"He was training with the coach" - Journalist says injured Chelsea star could return after international break

Journalist Nizaar Kinsella of the Evening Standard has claimed that midfielder N'Golo Kante could return for Chelsea after the international break.

The 31-year-old has made just two appearances for the Blues this term as muscular problems have kept him out of action.

Chelsea have certainly missed the all-action midfielder as they have only won three of their eight games in all competitions so far this term.

Since Kante last played for the Blues, the club have sacked Thomas Tuchel and appointed Brighton & Hove Albion boss Graham Potter.

Potter is set for a huge boost as they take on Crystal Palace next in the Premier League, as the World Cup winner is finally set to return from injury. Speaking to the London Is Blue podcast, Kinsella claimed:

“N’Golo Kanté was out on the training pitch when I went down [to Cobham] for the Academy game. He was training with the coach and doing some pretty dynamic drills.”

According to The Athletic, Chelsea are in real danger of losing the French international on a free transfer next summer. The west London club are only offering Kante a two-year deal, while Kante is demanding a longer contract to stay at Stamford Bridge.

Kante has played 262 matches for Chelsea since joining from Leicester City in 2016.

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Pundit believes Graham Potter's biggest challenge at Chelsea will be dealing with egos

Potter did a superb job at Brighton as he guided them to their highest ever league finish while also playing an attractive style of play.

However, the leap from Brighton to Chelsea is a huge one and Noel Whelan believes that the Englishman's task could be extremely difficult. The former Leeds United striker told Football Insider:

“He has done so well at Swansea and now at Brighton, under strict budgets at both clubs. He created a great environment and a great style of play at these clubs. And now we’ll see if he can do it with the superstars. That’ll be his biggest test, dealing with the egos."

Whelan shared his doubts about Potter's man management abilities but wished him the best, saying:

“Can he manage big players? No disrespect to Swansea and Brighton, but this is a whole new level for him. He’ll have to drop players, deal with the man-management side of the game."

He added:

"But look, he’s a student of the game, he leaves no stone unturned, he’s a tactician, and he knows what he wants from his players. I hope it goes really well for him because he’s really deserved this step up.”