Chelsea Boost as Ross Barkley Set to Resume Training Next Week

Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley will return to full training next week ahead of a crucial set of matches for Antonio Conte's side, per Matt Law for the Telegraph. 

The 24-year-old, who has been out recently with a hamstring injury, has struggled for fitness throughout the 2017-18 season and has rarely featured since moving to Chelsea in January. Barkley has only started one league game following the switch from Everton for £15 million, prompting Gareth Southgate to rule him out of selection for the World Cup this summer, per Nick Mashiter for The Independent. 

Barkley's recovery is timely. Chelsea have been struggling in central midfield of late with Tiemoue Bakayoko enduring a torrid start to life at the club. He was substituted at half-time in their last match—a 2-1 victory over Leicester City in the FA Cup—following another poor performance. It was his first start since an infamous 29-minute horror show at Watford in February.

The former Everton midfielder, then, could be in contention to start games in the near future. Chelsea host Tottenham Hotspur after the international break in a match that could end the Blues' hopes of Champions League qualification, with Conte's team five points behind Spurs in the race for the top four.

They then play Southampton in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley two weeks later in a season-defining contest Barkley will be desperate to feature in.

Although Southgate has suggested Barkley cannot force his way into the England team before the World Cup, the Three Lions' lack of creativity in attack means a window remains ajar. Chelsea still have eight league matches and at least one more FA Cup game, which is enough time for Barkley to prove his fitness and quality in a Chelsea shirt.

A hamstring injury suffered in August kept Barkley out of action until February, only for an unrelated hamstring problem to develop shortly after. But with a return to training imminent, Barkley will be hopeful his misfortune is finally over as he stakes a claim for a spot in the middle of the park for club and country.