Ben Chilwell knows he must work harder than the rest of the Chelsea squad ahead of the 2022/23 season after returning from a long-term injury.
The 25-year-old had surgery at the end of 2021 on his achilles after injuring it against Juventus in the Champions League last November.
Chilwell’s season was all but over, however he managed to get back in time for the final game of Chelsea’s season against Wolves at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, after Thomas Tuchel gave him some confidence and morale boosting minutes.
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Tuchel was delighted to welcome the England international back. During their pre-season tour of the United States, the Chelsea boss said: "We are super happy that he's back, and you can see it's a difference from training to the game, and he will take his time.
“He will get this time because he deserves it. We will support him on his way back, and it was good for him.
"I'm happy nobody is injured after a physical game and physical two weeks. I'm happy that he's back."
Chilwell is hoping for a World Cup role with England at the end of the year when they head to Qatar, but will need to cement his place in the Blues’ side, something he is expected to do having earned the right to be the club’s first choice left wing-back.
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"The World Cup is a big motivation as well as the season with Chelsea,” said Chilwell.
“If I play well between now and then I am confident I will be in the squad. That’s my mindset and I wasn’t worried.
"I just wanted to do everything I can to be the best version of myself and play well for Chelsea for four months to give myself a chance to be picked.
“I dreamed of playing in the World Cup ever since I can remember, to know it is around the corner is more motivation than you know for me to see if I can establish my spot. Especially after the Euros which was a difficult time for me.
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“I want to be the left-back in the team and I think we can do really well and go a long way. It would be amazing.
"It would be a highlight of not just my career but my life. So I am going to work for it for the next four months.”
He returned early to pre-season to undergo a personal programme before the rest of his teammates reported back to Cobham, and Chilwell acknowledges he has to work harder than the rest of the squad due to his injury.
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“All pre-seasons are pretty important but coming off the back of the injury I've had, it's important I work harder than everyone else, to make sure I'm ready when the season starts,” Chilwell told the official Chelsea website.
“When the boys came back in I felt sharp and fit and ready to go and that's continued now.
“So I'm very happy and looking forward to hopefully starting the season on a strong note. Hopefully we can have a great season together.”
Topics: Ben Chilwell, Chelsea, Football
Matthew Debono