Essien and Obi Mikel set for start of season

Chelsea have been given a pre-season fitness boost after assistant coach Ray Wilkins confirmed that midfielders Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel should be ready for the start of the new Barclays League campaign.

While Wilkins was delighted with the rehabilitation work of both players, Carlo Ancelotti's number two insisted the fitness of their World Cup stars would require careful handling to prevent them "hitting the wall" by the end of the year.