Mauricio Pochettino handed Benoit Badiashile fitness boost ahead of Chelsea pre-season return

Benoit Badiashile has handed Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino a fresh fitness boost ahead of pre-season.

He suffered a hamstring injury in training last month which ruled him out of the remaining games of the 2022/23 season, with the club confirming Badiashile didn’t require surgery.

“Benoit Badiashile has sustained a hamstring injury which will rule the defender out for an extended period,” a statement read in May. “The 22-year-old underwent assessment with specialists earlier this week and Benoit will now begin a rehabilitation programme with the club’s medical department.”

Badiashile responded: “Time to recover and come back stronger next season. Thank you all for your messages.”

Former interim head coach Frank Lampard, at the time, admitted it was likely to be ‘months rather than weeks’.

“It’s a big blow for him, I’m really disappointed for him because he’s come here and I think he’s impressed,” said Lampard.

“The games just before he got injured I was very happy with him and I think he’s going to be a really good player for the club.

“But the injury is unfortunate. It’s a bit of a complicated injury in his hamstring and we’re probably talking months rather than weeks, unfortunately.

“And that’s all I’ll say at the minute, because it’s a little bit complicated as I say.

“But I hope, for him, that the timing of it over the summer means he’s not missing games and he comes back stronger.”

Despite his return date being unclear, Chelsea have been handed a welcome update on the Frenchman’s recovery. Bobby Vincent of Football.London reports Badiashile recently returned to the gym to step up his recovery.

Pochettino will begin to meet his squad next week when they start reporting back to Cobham for pre-season duty. Levi Colwill is an option for the Blues on the left-hand side of defence after his Brighton & Hove Albion loan spell ended, while Kalidou Koulibaly departed for Saudi Arabia and Al-Hilal this week.

Badiashile joined Chelsea from AS Monaco in January and has impressed during his 11 Premier League appearances.