Boost for Chelsea as Courtois is tipped to return soon

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho expects goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to return to the side by mid-December.

Courtois is back in training after recovering from surgery on the knee injury he suffered in September.

Asmir Begovic will continue to deputise in Sunday’s game at Tottenham, but Mourinho, who had been non-committal on when during December the Belgian might return, now believes Courtois will be back within the next two weeks.

He said: “Courtois is training with the team but not playing Sunday. I would go for the first 15 days [of December].”

Mourinho added captain John Terry has only a “small hope” of playing at White Hart Lane, having been unable to train since being stretchered off with an ankle injury during the Champions League win against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Tuesday.

Ramires, who missed that game with injury, is also a doubt, while Radamel Falcao is still sidelined.