Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has eased concerns over the fitness of João Pedro and captain Reece James, confirming that both players remain in contention for Friday’s Premier League clash with Brentford.
The availability of the duo had been a subject of speculation ahead of the west London derby, with João Pedro withdrawing from Brazil’s squad for the upcoming international break, while James missed the start of Chelsea’s training session on Tuesday.
However, Alonso has not ruled either player out and said final decisions will be made after the team’s last training session before the Brentford encounter.
“In terms of injuries and in terms of the squad, we are having the last training session, so no-one is ruled out for us for Friday,” Alonso said.
The Chelsea boss urged caution over João Pedro’s situation but suggested the Brazilian forward has a genuine chance of featuring.
“So I prefer to be cautious and we will wait until tomorrow to take the final decision on every player. We will see tomorrow if Joao is ready to play, it’s a possibility,” he added.
João Pedro has been one of Chelsea’s standout performers since the beginning of the campaign. The 24-year-old has registered three goals and three assists in his first four Premier League appearances and was named the league’s Player of the Month for August after scoring twice and providing two assists during Chelsea’s opening two matches.
His form has made the injury concern particularly significant for Chelsea, with the former Brighton forward quickly becoming an important attacking outlet under Alonso.
James, meanwhile, remains an equally important figure for the Blues, not only because of his contribution on the pitch but also because of his leadership as club captain.
The England international has been Chelsea captain since 2023 and has led the club to the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup titles. He is also the club’s officially listed captain for the 2026/27 Premier League season
Addressing concerns over James after his delayed involvement in Tuesday’s training session, Alonso played down the significance of the situation.
“For Reece, it was just a decision for Tuesday and we see his development and tomorrow we will decide,” he said.
Chelsea will also assess the fitness of midfielder Moisés Caicedo, who is working his way back from injury, while Marco Palestra and Jordan Henderson could also be considered for the squad.
“Moises is getting closer and tomorrow we will take the final decision on the team and on the squad that is coming to Brentford,” Alonso said.
“Before the players know, we need to assess all the positions with the last training and tomorrow we will make the decision for the game in Brentford.”
Chelsea head to the Gtech Community Stadium looking to return to winning ways after being held to a 2-2 draw by Hull City last weekend. The match kicks off at 8pm on Friday.
With João Pedro and James both having played important roles for Chelsea this season, Alonso will be hoping the final fitness checks allow the pair to be available for what could be another demanding west London derby.