Reece James fires Chelsea clear Thomas Tuchel message as Enzo Maresca given Cole Palmer update

Enzo Maresca will be eager to return to winning ways when Chelsea face Tottenham Hotspur after the international break. The Blues will host the Lilywhites at Stamford Bridge next month as they both look to climb the Premier League table.

Chelsea head into the clash off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal. While the west Londoners dropped crucial points in the race for Champions League qualification, they're still in the top four.

Manchester City, Newcastle United and Brighton will be determined to leapfrog the Blues, but Maresca's set to welcome some big names back from the treatment room soon. So, with that being said, football.london has rounded up the latest Chelsea news and transfer gossip.

James sends Chelsea clear message

Reece James has named Thomas Tuchel as the best manager he's worked with, sending Chelsea higher-ups a clear message. The England boss was controversially sacked by the Blues in September 2022, following a defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in their Champions League group stage opener.

During an interview with ITV Football, James was asked where he would rank Tuchel among the head coaches he's worked with. The Blues captain said: "With what I’ve worked with? The best. There’s various reasons why… But I think he brought trophies to the club when we probably least expected it, in a difficult period."

football.london says: "I'm excited to see how England get on with Thomas Tuchel in the dugout. The former Chelsea boss is a tournament specialist, but he only has a year or so to prepare for the 2026 World Cup."

Palmer set for second injury scan

According to the MailOnline, Cole Palmer is set to undergo a second scan on a muscle injury. The 22-year-old missed Chelsea's clash against Arsenal at the weekend after picking up a knock in training – and he has since dropped out of the England squad for the international break.

It's said that the Blues hope he'll be ready to face Tottenham Hotspur at the start of next month. The MailOnline have described the injury as a 'lower leg issue'.

football.london says: "Chelsea must do whatever it takes to keep Cole Palmer fit and firing. With the likes of Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke set to return from injury over the international break, Enzo Maresca could start the Blues' best frontline against Tottenham Hotspur. Fingers crossed."

Amorim to make final call on Sancho

According to ESPN, Manchester United will let Ruben Amorim make the final decision on Jadon Sancho's future in the unlikely event that he returns to Old Trafford. Chelsea signed the 24-year-old winger on a season-long loan late into the summer transfer window, which, football.london understands, includes an obligation-to-buy.

The Blues were long admirers of Sancho, who established himself as one of the most exciting young players in Europe during his time in the Manchester City youth setup. While the England international looks set to stay at Stamford Bridge, there have been suggestions Chelsea could pull out of the deal – even if the conditions are met.

football.london says: "Jadon Sancho has struggled to impress lately, but he hasn't had a striker to play off. A bouncing board, so to say. He's ball to feet, one-two, playmaking winger who can unlock low-blocks. Hopefully he can rebuild his confidence in the coming weeks."

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