CHELSEA manager Enzo Maresca has announced that Cole Palmer will be out for six more weeks as the England international continues his recovery from a stubborn groin injury.
The 23-year-old forward has not featured in a competitive match since September 20, when he was forced off by the recurrence of an issue that first emerged during Chelsea’s shortened pre-season following their successful FIFA Club World Cup campaign.
Palmer has made just three English Premier League appearances this season and is running short of opportunities to impress England manager Thomas Tuchel before next summer’s World Cup.
Chelsea decided to rest Palmer before the international break to give him the best chance of being fit and ready by November – but Maresca has pushed back his potential return to the end of November or early December.
“I was wrong,” Maresca said during a press conference today. “Unfortunately, he needs to be out probably six more weeks. So, yes, this is the update.”
The Chelsea manager said he was confident Palmer, who scored 15 Premier League goals last season, would not need surgery.
“We try to protect Cole as much as we can,” Maresca added.
“The most important thing is when he comes back, he is fully fit.
“The medical staff are not magicians. We hope six weeks are enough. We need to see it step-by-step. For sure, he’s going to be OK.
“He looks relaxed. He has tried to recover from the injury and is doing all the therapy.”
Speaking before his side continue their Premier League campaign away at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Maresca conceded Palmer would be a big miss.
“To replace Cole is difficult, because Cole is a very important player for us – probably one of the best players in the Premier League – so to replace that kind of player is always difficult,” he said.
“We don’t have another player like Cole, because Cole is unique.”
Palmer will miss Premier League fixtures against Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur, Burnley and Arsenal, and a League Cup tie at Wolves.
The six-week recovery estimate would also count Palmer out of UEFA Champions League matches against Ajax, Qarabag and Barcelona.
With agency report