Kante close to full recovery from injury, new return date named

N'Golo Kante is close to making a full recovery from his hamstring injury to play for Chelsea, according to L'Equipe.

Kante's new recovery date is set for the end of February, which means he could be back immediately after the next five Chelsea games.

The midfielder is yet to participate in group training like Reece James and Ben Chilwell, but he's been training regularly on his own with increased intensity.

The 31-year-old has not played for Chelsea since injuring his hamstring against Spurs back in September. He suffered another setback after nearing full recovery in December.

A source at Chelsea told L'Equipe that "Kante knows he's not there yet" but there's been marked progress. The Frenchman is now set to return at a crucial time for Chelsea when they battle to make the top four and compete for the Champions League.