Mikel (left) and Essien are well on the road to recovery

Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins believes Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel will be fit for the start of the Premier League season on 14 August.

Essien suffered a knee ligament injury in January, while Mikel has been out since minor knee surgery in May.

"There should be no problem whatsoever," said Wilkins when asked if they would be fit for the season opener against West Brom.

"John Obi is slightly in advance of Michael but they're working very well."

He added: "They have been working double sessions for the last week and we will get them really firing before the season starts."

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Essien picked up his injury while on international duty with Ghana at the Africa Cup of Nations and, along with Nigeria's Mikel, missed the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

Having the powerful presence of Essien and the defensive qualities of Mikel back should come as a welcome boost to Chelsea as they prepare to defend the league title they won last season.

"The players we have got here now [training at Cobham], we have to get them into the right fitness condition so that they are prepared to play because we might not be able to use the guys coming back from the World Cup for the first couple of games," added Wilkins.

"So these young men have to be primed and ready to perform."

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