Chelsea have been given a welcome lift with Marco Palestra and Emmanuel Emegha back in full training, offering some relief during a period of growing concern over fitness issues across the squad.

The pair were both shown training by the club’s social media team as Chelsea prepare for their next Premier League fixture against Bournemouth on Oct. 10. Their return gives Alonso added depth at a time when selection options have been stretched.

Palestra, who was used heavily in preseason, is expected to strengthen the wing-back positions when he is available again. His versatility on either flank could prove useful, especially with Chelsea having already rotated through Jorrel Hato, Pedro Neto, Pep Chavarría and Malo Gusto in those roles this season.

Emegha’s return also gives Alonso another option in attack. Even so, the striker is not guaranteed significant minutes, with João Pedro and Danny Welbeck having both made goalscoring starts to the campaign.

While the return of Palestra and Emegha is positive, Chelsea are still waiting on updates involving several more important injury cases.

João Pedro missed the 3–0 defeat to Brentford before the international break because of a knee problem, and that issue also forced him to withdraw from Brazil duty. He is expected to be available against Bournemouth, though nothing has been confirmed.

Reece James was also absent from the Brentford defeat and later left out of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad. His availability for the Bournemouth match remains unclear.

The same uncertainty applies to Cole Palmer and Moisés Caicedo. Palmer withdrew from the England squad with a muscle issue and was criticised by Tuchel as a result, while Caicedo has managed only 14 competitive minutes this season because of a calf injury.

Norway boss Ståle Solbakken has admitted he cannot yet say whether Martin Ødegaard will be available for Thursday’s match against Wales, leaving Arsenal with an anxious wait over their captain.

Solbakken’s assessment was cautious rather than alarming, but he made clear that a final call is still pending. “I wish I could say yes, but I can’t say that. I can’t say no either,” Solbakken said, when asked whether Ødegaard will play against Wales. “He will be tested a bit today. If he had been unavailable, he obviously wouldn’t have been here.”

Ødegaard was back on the grass on Wednesday, though his involvement in the Nations League fixture remains unresolved. His presence in the camp offers some encouragement, but it does not amount to a guarantee that he will feature.

The midfielder’s fitness history explains why Arsenal supporters are watching developments so closely. During the first international break of 2024, Ødegaard suffered an ankle injury that kept him out of 12 matches for Arsenal. He was also affected by a number of other fitness concerns across his 2025–26 campaign.

Even so, he has started the new campaign in strong form and has looked close to his best in the early weeks of the season. That has only heightened the concern around any fresh setback, however minor it may prove to be.

Arsenal would probably have preferred Norway to release him as a precaution, but his continued stay with the squad suggests there is still a realistic chance he could be passed fit. As Solbakken noted, Norway would not have allowed him back into training if there were no possibility of him being ready to play.

Premier League rivals are said to be split over what punishment should follow the findings against Manchester City, with opinions ranging from a severe sporting sanction to a ruling that would still allow the club to remain in the division.

City could lose the three titles won during the period under scrutiny, from 2009 to 2018, although any punishment is expected to shape the present or future rather than rewrite the past. The matter now rests with an independent panel, while City prepare an appeal.

According to The Guardian, after discussions with executives from rival clubs, there is a strong push for a penalty heavy enough to keep City out of the top flight for the foreseeable future. A straight relegation is not available in the normal sense, as the English Football League is a separate body and would not be bound to accept anything beyond the three clubs traditionally sent down. Even so, a significant points deduction could leave City anchored near the bottom of the table.

Those quoted in the report do not want a sanction that feels temporary. Their concern is that a one-season absence would simply allow City to return and continue as before. One executive said: “Relegation to the Championship for one season would be insufficient,” one executive is quoted as saying. “The commission has to arrive at a punishment that is proportionate for years of sustained and deliberate cheating, as well as providing a strong deterrent to it happening again.”

The panel does have the power to remove City from the top flight altogether. Yet Sky Sports News reported that two senior executives from unnamed Premier League clubs would be “staggered” and “amazed” if enough clubs truly backed expulsion.

Commercial concerns are central to that reluctance. City remain one of the league’s biggest attractions, and their removal would create problems for scheduling and television rights. Fewer fixtures would mean reduced broadcast value, with possible refunds affecting money distributed across the division. “If Man City were expelled, that would have massive commercial consequences for everyone in the league, and ultimately it would cost the other clubs an awful lot of money,” one executive said.

The Independent Football Regulator, introduced in September 2025, is also watching closely. Its chair, David Kogan, said: “The independent commission’s decision raises serious issues,” Kogan said. “The IFR has powers to assess the suitability of owners, directors and executives and we will use these powers where appropriate, in the interests of protecting the sustainability, honesty and integrity of English football where there is clear evidence of wrongdoing by individuals.

“This includes taking account of findings made by the Leagues. However, as the proceedings remain ongoing between Manchester City and the Premier League we will await further developments.

“We hope it can be resolved quickly for the sake of fans. For now, we have no further comment.”