Chelsea fans are anxiously awaiting news on Cole Palmer’s return to fitness as the Blues prepare for their upcoming Premier League fixture against Brentford. The 23-year-old midfielder has been sidelined for the past two matches with a groin injury.
The issue first arose during training before Chelsea’s triumph over West Ham United last month. Palmer, selected to start at the London Stadium, experienced discomfort during the warm-up and was forced to withdraw, making way for Estevao Willian. Despite Palmer’s absence, Chelsea dominated the contest, netting five times en route to a comfortable victory.
In the subsequent week, Palmer was seen working individually at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground while his teammates continued their preparations outdoors. Consequently, his absence from the 2-0 victory over Fulham was expected.
However, Chelsea supporters have reason for optimism following Palmer’s recent Instagram post. The midfielder shared a photo of himself at Stamford Bridge accompanied by a simple two-word message: “Back soon,” igniting hopes of an imminent return.
Despite this encouraging message, manager Enzo Maresca is expected to exercise caution with Palmer’s reintegration into the squad, particularly given the looming clash with Brentford after the current international break. Maresca will be keen not to risk further aggravation of the injury by rushing the player back prematurely.
Last season, Palmer was one of Chelsea’s most utilised players, amassing over 4,200 minutes as the campaign extended to mid-July due to their involvement in the FIFA Club World Cup. Fellow teammates Moises Caicedo and Levi Colwill also experienced heavy workloads and have both suffered injuries at the start of this season. Colwill’s situation is particularly severe, requiring surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament injury, ruling him out for most of the current campaign. Meanwhile, Caicedo has been managing a muscular knock, recently missing Ecuador’s World Cup qualifier against Paraguay.
With a packed schedule ahead, Maresca will meticulously manage his squad to navigate the ongoing injury concerns. Chelsea supporters will be hoping that their key players can regain fitness swiftly to help maintain their challenge on multiple fronts.