Mikel, Moses, Hazard lead Chelsea training

Forty-four days after Chelsea’s  2014/15 premier league campaign drew to a close with victory over Sydney FC in Australia, the players returned to training , Thursday, in Montreal, Canada.

Mikel trains with the team in Canada

Nigeria stars, John Mikel Obi and Victor Moses, who many have rumoured to be surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, were part of the team led out by coach Jose Mourinho. Nigeria-born youngsters Ola Aina and Dominic Solanke were also included.

The Chelsea squad arrived in Montreal in the early evening local time on Wednesday to begin the pre-season preparations in earnest.

Twenty-three players commence a week of training ahead of the first match since a record crowd watched the win over Sydney FC in Australia at the start of June.

The Chelsea pre-season squad in Canada this week is as follows:

Thibaut Courtois, Asmir Begovic, Jamal Blackman, Cesar Azpilicueta, Branislav Ivanovic, Ola Aina, Gary Cahill, John Terry, Kurt Zouma, Jake Clarke-Salter, Nemanja Matic, John Mikel Obi, Nathaniel Chalobah, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ramires, Cesc Fabregas, Oscar, Eden Hazard, Bertrand Traore, Victor Moses, Loic Remy, Diego Costa and Dominic Solanke.

The internationals who competed in the Copa America this summer, Filipe Luis, Willian, Juan Cuadrado and new loan-signing Radamel Falcao, will join up with the squad midway through the visit.