Chelsea have suffered a fresh blow with Cole Palmer expected to be out for around three weeks as he undergoes treatment for a persistent groin injury.
The 22-year-old was forced off in the first half of last weekend’s 2–0 loss to Manchester United after the problem flared up again. It’s the same issue that troubled him during Chelsea’s shortened pre-season in July, shortly after the team’s FIFA Club World Cup success.
Manager Enzo Maresca confirmed the club is prioritizing Palmer’s long-term fitness.
“We’ve decided to protect Cole by giving him some rest so the injury doesn’t get worse,” Maresca said. “The plan is to keep him out until the international break so he can recover fully. It doesn’t require surgery — it’s more about managing the pain and avoiding complications.”
The setback rules Palmer out of league fixtures against Brighton and Liverpool, as well as Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Jose Mourinho’s Benfica.
So far this season, Palmer has managed just three starts from seven appearances. He also missed England’s recent World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia. Gareth Southgate’s side are due to face Wales in a friendly on October 9, before meeting Latvia in a qualifier five days later.
Chelsea’s injury worries don’t end there. Tosin Adarabioyo remains unavailable with a calf problem until after the international break, while Wesley Fofana is ruled out of the Brighton game following a concussion.
