Joao Pedro's Road to Recovery: When Chelsea's Striker Could Make His Comeback

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso faces an anxious wait over the fitness of star forward João Pedro.

The Brazilian has been in stunning form this campaign, hitting the ground running under the new manager with three goals and three assists across four Premier League appearances. Those displays earned him a return to the national setup after the disappointment of being left out of the World Cup squad, but Pedro has since been forced to pull out due to injury.

Here's everything you need to know about the forward's current condition.

What Injury Does João Pedro Have?

When Brazil confirmed Pedro's withdrawal from the squad, no specific issue was disclosed, with the statement simply noting he was "injured."

Alonso was tight-lipped ahead of Friday's clash with Brentford, but the most significant update has come from ESPN Brasil. According to reports, Pedro is dealing with a knee issue, having suffered a ligament sprain during Chelsea's 2–2 draw with Hull City, a match in which he played the full 90 minutes.

Those details were subsequently passed on to Brazilian officials, who opted to remove him from their squad.

"He has moved on from the summer, he has moved on from the World Cup," Alonso said of the forward.

"He has shown this desire, determination to have a great season so far. The summer is far away now. He will be [in the Brazil squad] in the future. I'm pretty sure he is going to be."

When Will João Pedro Return From Injury?

Once again, with no official statement from Chelsea, we can only rely on what has been reported.

Pedro is anticipated to be sidelined for roughly three-and-a-half weeks as he recovers from the knee problem, which would be a significant blow at any point in the season. Featuring in Friday's match against Brentford appears highly unlikely, despite Alonso's continued reluctance to rule him out, though Pedro will benefit from an extended international break to aid his recovery.

In an effort to reduce the frequency of international stoppages, organizers have merged September and October's breaks into one extended window, meaning Chelsea don't return to action until Bournemouth visit on Oct. 10 — which conveniently falls around three-and-a-half weeks after his injury was first reported.

Pedro stands a reasonable chance of being fully fit for that Bournemouth fixture, though any minor setback could push his return back further. Should that happen, Danny Welbeck would be expected to lead the line, with Dutch international Emmanuel Emegha also pressing for a starting role after overcoming his own fitness concerns.

The away trip to Everton the following week, on Oct. 17, should represent a comfortable return target for Pedro.