Chelsea have been dealt with a number of injuries all across the pitch, but even by those standards, one player in particular may have already played his last game of the calendar year.
Meanwhile, Enzo Maresca will be hoping against hope that he does not lose any more players, with several stars already facing a race against time to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.
For instance, Cole Palmer is unlikely to return until November, while the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo and Andrey Santos have not been seen in training, despite not flying off to represent their countries.
Another player who has not been seen for a little while is Dario Essugo, after he picked up an injury whilst part of the Portugal squad for the last international break.
As a result, Essugo was removed from the Champions League squad for the group stages of the competition, with Facundo Buonanotte replacing him in the side.
And now, by the looks of it, Essugo will not feature for the Blues again before the year goes out.
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Chelsea star suffers year-ending injury blow
According to BBC Sport, the midfielder could be out until January, putting a real dent in his progress since joining over the summer.
Chelsea signed Essugo to provide cover for Moises Caicedo, after he emerged as one of the first names on the teamsheet under Maresca.
While Caicedo continues to grow from strength to strength at Stamford Bridge, it is worrying to see the lack of options Chelsea would have in his absence if he picks up an untimely injury.
In the absence of Essugo, the chance could now crop up for Romeo Lavia to start his first Premier League game of the season, with him still proving to be a crucial player for the manager when he is fit.
Though this has not been the case often enough since his move from Southampton, there is renewed optimism that he can put together a string of appearances in the wake of the recent injury crisis around him.
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