Chelsea have confirmed that Cole Palmer will remain sidelined for several more weeks as he continues to recover from a recurring groin injury.
The England international aggravated an existing injury that had already forced him out earlier in the season, lasting just 21 minutes before being withdrawn in Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on September 20.
Blues boss Enzo Maresca previously indicated that Palmer would be “protected” through a period of rest, with the hope he would return shortly after the international break.
Palmer’s return date finally revealed
Many Chelsea fans have been anxious about Palmer’s fitness across the past few weeks, with little clarity on what was keeping the Blues talisman sidelined for so long.
Following a club meeting at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have now provided a clearer picture of Palmer’s situation.
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According to club sources, the 23-year-old is expected to make his return around mid-November, ruling him out for several key fixtures.
He will miss Chelsea’s trip to Nottingham Forest (October 18), as well as their Champions League clash with Ajax (October 22), their Premier League meeting with Sunderland (October 25), and the Carabao Cup fourth-round tie at Wolves (October 29).
Initially, Maresca had hoped Palmer would only miss a handful of games, against Brighton, Liverpool, and Benfica, but the groin injury seems to require a longer recovery period.
The Italian manager, however, confirmed that surgery will not be necessary.
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“I don’t think he needs surgery, it is just about managing the pain in his groin,” Maresca said in a press conference ahead of the international break.
“With the amount of games it is something that can happen, it is the reason why we are trying to be a little more conservative with him.
“We said that with Cole we are a better team but we also said we need to play games without him.
“We are going to find a solution. We are not going to play with 10 players for sure! We will find a different solution.”
Palmer has featured just four times this season, netting two goals, against Brentford and Bayern Munich, respectively.
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