Reece James in contention for Brentford clash – Alonso

Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has confirmed that João Pedro and Reece James remain in contention for Friday’s Premier League clash against Brentford despite recent fitness concerns.

The two players have been under assessment ahead of the west London derby, with João Pedro having withdrawn from Brazil’s squad for the upcoming international fixtures because of an unspecified injury. James, meanwhile, missed part of Chelsea’s training session earlier in the week.

However, Alonso said neither player had been ruled out of the encounter at the Gtech Community Stadium.

“In terms of injuries and in terms of the squad we are having the last training session tomorrow so no-one is ruled out for us for Friday,” Alonso said.

The Spanish coach added that Chelsea would take a cautious approach before making a final decision on the players’ availability.

“We will see tomorrow if Joao is ready to play, it’s a possibility,” Alonso said, while explaining that James’ absence from Tuesday’s training session was simply a decision made for that particular session.

João Pedro has made a strong start to his Chelsea career this season, scoring three goals and providing three assists in four Premier League appearances. He also played the full 90 minutes in Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Hull City last weekend, scoring and assisting in the match.

James remains an important part of Alonso’s plans, with the Chelsea captain being monitored ahead of the Brentford fixture.

Alonso also provided an update on midfielder Moisés Caicedo, who has been working his way back from injury. The manager said the Ecuador international was “getting closer” to a return and that a final decision would be made after training.

Chelsea will travel to Brentford looking to return to winning ways after their 2-2 draw with Hull City. Brentford, meanwhile, are unbeaten in the Premier League so far this season and will host the Blues in Friday’s 8pm kick-off.

Alonso is expected to make his final selection decisions after the team’s last training session, meaning João Pedro and James’ involvement will depend on their fitness assessments.