PICTURES: Ruben Loftus-Cheek returns to Chelsea training

Chelsea are back from our Club World Cup adventures in the warmth and sunshine of Abu Dhabi, and if we needed any reminder that we’re also back to the cold harsh grind of the English football season, we’ve been greeted with a lovely downpour as training resumed at Cobham today.

On the plus side, we also welcomed back a familiar face that’s been missing in action, and the only player to actually miss the trip last week — even Ben Chilwell flew out! — with Ruben Loftus-Cheek returning to join the rest of the squad. Ruben has made just 3 substitute appearances in our last 14 games, all in domestic cups, since the 1-1 draw against Everton in mid-December. It’s not quite clear what’s kept him out for most of those two months, but he did test positive for COVID-19 before briefly returning at the start of January.

Loftus-Cheek’s absence has led to an almost accepted narrative that he will be leaving the team at the end of the season, but he has been much more involved than we might have expected (before this enforced absence), and he does have over two years left on his contract still.

Either way, with plenty of games on tap in the next three months, hopefully we’ll see plenty more RLC in Chelsea Blue.

Here are a few pictures from Tuesday’s training:

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• RLC with Malanginho Photo by Chris Lee/Chelsea FC
• More Ruben Photo by Chris Lee/Chelsea FC
• Hiding behind the rain Photo by Chris Lee/Chelsea FC
• Chasing down Captain America Photo by Chris Lee/Chelsea FC
• Kova does the rain dance Photo by Chris Lee/Chelsea FC
• Soaked Photo by Chris Lee/Chelsea FC
• Bettinelli way too excited Photo by Chris Lee/Chelsea FC
• T’Chalo ten feet tall Photo by Chris Lee/Chelsea FC
• It’s all fun and games when you’re scoring goals Photo by Chris Lee/Chelsea FC
• Wonder if/when Kenedy will get to play Photo by Chris Lee/Chelsea FC
• How many winning goals in Major Cup finals, Big Game? Photo by Chris Lee/Chelsea FC
• WhoTF is this guy? Photo by Chris Lee/Chelsea FC
• Tears from heaven Photo by Chris Lee/Chelsea FC

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