Chelsea have been hit with another blow as Cole Palmer is set to spend around three weeks on the sidelines with a persistent groin problem.
The 22-year-old midfielder was forced off in the first half of last weekend’s 2–0 defeat to Manchester United when the issue flared up again. It’s the same injury that disrupted his pre-season back in July, shortly after Chelsea’s FIFA Club World Cup success.
Head coach Enzo Maresca explained that the club is being careful not to aggravate the problem.
“We decided to protect Cole and avoid making things worse,” Maresca said. “He’ll rest for two to three weeks until after the international break. That should be enough for him to fully recover. Surgery isn’t necessary—it’s just about managing the pain in his groin. We’ve chosen the conservative route.”
The layoff rules Palmer out of upcoming league fixtures against Brighton and Liverpool, as well as Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Benfica, managed by José Mourinho.
It’s been a stop-start season for Palmer, who has featured in only three of Chelsea’s seven games so far. He also missed England’s recent World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia. Gareth Southgate’s side will face Wales in a friendly on October 9 before heading to Latvia for another qualifier.
Palmer is not Chelsea’s only injury concern. Tosin Adarabioyo is recovering from a calf issue and won’t return until after the break, while Wesley Fofana has been ruled out of the Brighton match due to concussion.
