Former Chelsea defender William Gallas urged caution over the return of Christopher Nkunku.
The French striker joined from RB Leipzig in the summer transfer window, but suffered a serious injury, leaving striker Nicolas Jackson to lead the line in his absence.
Many believe that were Nkunku fit for selection for the games so far, that Chelsea would have performed closer to pre-season expectations under new manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Instead, they have disappointed once more, and with the return of Nkunku on the horizon, Gallas told Genting Casino that there needs to be patience with the player as he regains full fitness.
He said: “Everyone needs to be patient with Christopher Nkunku. We need to wait until he is completely ready to play before he can start to have an impact for Chelsea because he has been injured for such a long time.
“When you’re out for four months, you need to manage your fitness very carefully. I think that Nkunku is a great player and he will bring a lot of quality to this Chelsea team. He will bring a different attacking option to Pochettino, but we shouldn’t expect him to be the main man straight away.
“He will need to be managed perfectly after being out for such a long time. The intensity of the games in the Premier League is so high, so it would be a massive risk if he came back too quickly. Don’t push him too much. When he is ready, he can make the difference for Chelsea.”