Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard has revealed new signings Hakim Ziyech and Ben Chilwell will miss Monday’s match against Brighton, while Thiago Silva is unlikely to play.
The Blues start their Premier League season away to the Seagulls on Monday Night Football – live on Sky Sports – but Lampard is set to be without several of his new arrivals.
Attacking midfielder Ziyech and left-back Chilwell are not expected to be fit enough to feature, while Brazil defender Silva is not yet training with the rest of the first team.
“Hakim Ziyech took an injury to a knee against Brighton so won’t be fit. Hopefully it’s a matter of weeks, a couple of weeks but we have to see,” Lampard said at Thursday’s press conference.
“Ben Chilwell is working towards fitness and improved this week. He’s going in the right direction but won’t be ready for Brighton.
“Thiago is in London but not training with us until the weekend, so I doubt he’s in contention for the game.”
Lampard has been boosted, though, by the return to fitness of Christian Pulisic and Cesar Azpilicueta, who both sustained hamstring injuries in last season’s FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal.
He added: “I am certainly very happy to have them both back. They have trained since yesterday and are in contention for Monday.
“The way they are training and the attitudes they have looks like they are over their injuries. We’ll have to manage it.”
