Chelsea confirms injury blow to £30.7m forward who hasn’t kicked a ball in pre-season

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed forward Noni Madueke is struggling with a tight hamstring since returning for pre-season but expects him to be back to full fitness soon.

The young forward is yet to kick a ball despite returning to the squad the same time as defender Levi Colwill, and there had been concerns given most players that might get a chance in the coming season have tasted games.

The 20-year-old joined Chelsea on a seven-and-a-half-year contract last season , with the option to extend for a further year after excelling at PSV Eindhoven in a move worth about £30.7m.

He was part of the England under-21 that won the European Champions a couple of weeks ago and was one of the bright spot during Frank Lampard unsuccessful fire fighters job at the club last season.

But his no show in pre-season was beginning to concern fans given a lot is expected of him in the coming campiagn- but the new Chelsea boss admitted his absence was down to injury.

Pochettino said: “He is still in Philadelphia. He has a little tightness in his hamstring, but nothing to worry about.”

Chelsea have looked incredibly bright in their first three pre-season games, a contrast to the team that won only once in their 11 games last season. They now have games against Fulham this weekend and Dortmund early next week to polish up before opening the season at home against Liverpool.

Pochettino will not have European football after Chelsea finished a lowly 12th in the league under four different managers, the first time in 25 years that they have sunk that low.