Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink has revealed that new signings Matt Miazga and Alexandre Pato are nearing match fitness and will be finally assessed next weekend before being considered for the first team.
The two players arrived during the January transfer window with Pato arriving on loan from Corinthians and Miazga signing from New York Red Bulls on a four-and-a-half-year deal.
The two players are yet to make their debut for their new club as the manager feels that both his new signings are lacking match fitness and need to undergo pre-season conditioning before they can be included in the first team squad.
The good news though will be that both have been doing well, according to the veteran manager, and will be ready to burst in sooner rather than later.
"They are now at the end of the second week of their “pre-season”, both are doing well", Hiddink said at a pre-match press conference.
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"They are training with us and with extra programmes. Next weekend we will see how their fitness is."
Speaking on Newcastle United, their opponents tomorrow, the manager said that the Magpies will be better prepared this time around than they were the last time around and his side will have to be cautious in order to make sure that they secure all three points.
"Newcastle have improved their squad with good substance, they made some good signings and they are more competitive now than they were in the previous time."
