Chelsea set return date for defender, an unlikely change in the 3-4-3 formation – report

Reports claim that Kurt Zouma is close to returning to the first team of Chelsea. Chelsea are preparing to bring zouma to the first team set up and the defender could be ready to play against Middlesbrough on the 20th of November.

According to The London Evening Standard, Chelsea are now set to welcome the French man back into the team after being out for months due to a serious knee injury. Zouma has not played football for club and country since suffering the knee injury during the match against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge earlier this year in February.

The highly rated defender has been trying to get into shape and working on his level of fitness. In recent weeks he has been training with Chelsea’s development squad and now seems ready to finally make his return to first team action.

Zouma has featured for Chelsea’s under 23 team in their last three matches and was able to play all 90 minutes in the victory over Oxford United on Tuesday.

It remains to be seen if Zouma will walk right straight into the first team and how manager Antonio Conte will deploy him especially with the new system Chelsea have adopted in recent weeks.

Conte has introduced the 3-4-3 system that has worked wonders for Chelsea leading them to five straight premier league victories, scoring 16 goals in the process and most importantly conceding none. It will be nice to see how Zouma will fit into the current setup.