Chelsea’s interim coach Guus Hiddink met the first-team squad and watched his first training session this afternoon. The Dutchman arrived at the Cobham training ground shortly before 1pm when he was greeted by chief executive Peter Kenyon.

The pair took a tour of the main building and met some of the players in the treatment room. Kenyon introduced the 62-year-old to staff, before continuing to the first-team dressing room where he was introduced to the remaining first team players.

Those who had played major roles on international duty undertook their recovery session in the state-of-the-art swimming pool, while Hiddink accompanied chairman Bruce Buck out on to the training field to watch the main session, led by Ray Wilkins. They were later joined by Roman Abramovich and director Eugene Tenenbaum.

Wilkins, who will lead the team against Watford in the FA Cup on Saturday, chatted with the new coach who will start work with the squad on the training ground from Monday.