Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has said France centre-back Wesley Fofana could miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn hamstring.
The 24-year-old has not featured since Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Dec. 1. It was initially hoped he would only miss a few weeks, but subsequent tests have revealed a worse prognosis.
The news on Fofana is also compounded by confirmation fellow defender, Benoît Badiashile, has been ruled out until next month with an unspecified problem.
“Unfortunately he [Fofana] could be out for the season, yes,” Maresca told a news conference on Friday. “We don’t know exactly for the entire season but he could be out for part of the season.
“Every time you ask me about Wes, I said many times I am in love with Wes. Also because Wes is that kind of defender that gives you the chance to press and leave him one vs. one with [Villa forward Ollie] Watkins [on] the whole pitch.
“We did exactly the same when Wes was injured with Benoit, one v one with [Tottenham striker Dominic] Solanke the while pitch and they can deal with that. And it is very difficult to find that kind of defender. Now unfortunately both are injured and we are trying to find different solutions but for sure, for us, Wes is a huge loss.”
Maresca suggested Fofana does not require surgery at this time but it nevertheless represents another blow for a player who Chelsea signed from Leicester City for £75million ($93m) in August 2022.
Fofana has started just 24 Premier League games having suffered knee injuries in his first season before missing the whole of the last campaign following a cruciate ligament tear.
Asked why Fofana’s absence was suddenly expected to be much longer, Maresca said: “It was the first update and the first information we had but having a test, we realised it was worse than what we thought at the beginning. It is hamstring and unfortunately, we are going to lose him for a while.
“I don’t think this kind of injury can be compared to the rest because this one is muscular. Previously, he id not have ay muscular problem so it is a completely different kind of injury, It is a bit unlucky but he will be back and good in the way he was before he was injured.”
Maresca had better news on Romeo Lavia, who is back in full training following a hamstring problem and is “very close” to being available to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
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