Chelsea are set to head off to Japan following their first pre-season games of the campaign in Ireland.
But newly appointed Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard is set to do without N’Golo Kante for both matches through injury.
Kante was left out of the games due to the knee injury he suffered at the end of last campaign.
The ex-Leicester City player was also absent for France’s Euro 2020 qualifiers against Turkey and Andorra.
Ahead of their trip to Japan Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard has issued update on Kante’s injury.
"He’s been training on his own with the physios this week because he’s still feeling the effects of his injury from the end of last season and we just want to be careful with him," he told the
club's official website.
"It’s not a big problem. We know he’s a fit boy and he has a great attitude so the last thing we want to do is push him too early.
"Hopefully next week in Japan we’ll start to integrate him into the group."