Chelsea forward Cole Palmer will be ruled out for “six more weeks” with a groin injury, manager Enzo Maresca said on Friday.
Maresca had previously said that Palmer would likely return after this month’s international break as he had avoided the need to undergo surgery.
“I was wrong, unfortunately, he needs to be out for six more weeks,” Maresca said. “So, yes, this is the update.”
“We try just to protect Cole as much as we can. The most important thing is that when he comes back he’s fully fit.
“Unfortunately the medical staff are not magicians. You never know that [timeframe]. Probably he needs six weeks. We hope six weeks are enough. It’s a problem we need to see step by step, week after week.
“He looks relaxed. He’s doing all the therapy that he needs to do. He looks good.”
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Palmer went off after just 21 minutes in Chelsea’s loss at Manchester United last month and has not played since in an injury-plagued season that has seen him make just two starts in all competitions.
Meanwhile, Moisés Caicedo, Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernández are all injury doubts to face Nottingham Forest when the Premier League returns this weekend. However, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana and Andrey Santos are set to return.
“To replace Cole is difficult because he is a very important player for us, probably one of the best in the Premier League,” Maresca added. “To replace that kind of player is always difficult.
“It depends on the game plan. Against Liverpool in that position was Malo Gusto. Against Benfica it was Facundo [Buonanotte]. We need to find different solutions.
“We don’t have another player like Cole. He is unique.”
One option will be to turn to Brazilian teenager Estêvão, used sparingly until now as he adjusts to English football but whose winning goal five minutes into stoppage time against the champions could prove key in transforming the mood around Stamford Bridge after a slow start to the season.
Information from PA contributed to this report.
