Chelsea supervisor Enzo Maresca has admitted that Wesley Fofana “might be out of the season” together with his hamstring damage extra critical than first feared.
Fofana has been affected by damage considerations ever since damaging his knee in October 2022, a matter of months after arriving from Leicester Metropolis in a deal value round £69.5m. The Frenchman missed 4 months earlier than tearing the cruciate ligament in his different knee on the finish of his debut season.
Belatedly again to full health firstly of the present marketing campaign, Fofana began 12 of Chelsea’s first 13 Premier League video games – solely sitting out the journey to Liverpool by means of suspension. The 24-year-old pulled up with a hamstring criticism initially of December and initially waved it away as “nothing critical”.
Nevertheless, after a month on the sidelines, Maresca informed reporters on Friday: “Wes [Fofana] can be out for a really very long time. Sadly he might be out for the season. We do not know precisely however he might be out for a part of the season. Each time you ask me about Wes, I stated many occasions I’m in love with Wes.”
The Italian supervisor didn’t delve into particulars, however confirmed that surgical procedure for Fofana wouldn’t be required “for the second”.
Whereas the Blues can be with out Fofana for the foreseeable future, they’re set to welcome again one other injury-prone defender for Saturday’s journey to Crystal Palace. Maresca revealed that membership captain Reece James is “in line for some minutes” at Selhurst Park.
The skipper had been in a position to muster simply 4 appearances all season earlier than sustaining one other hamstring problem in November. James made the bench for Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat to Ipswich City on Monday evening and is ready to get on the pitch in south London.
Fellow defender Benoit Badiashile isn’t anticipated again till February whereas midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor stays sidelined with a knock. There was a constructive replace for Romeo Lavia, a participant who Maresca claimed “could be very near returning”.
