Chelsea’s £30 million summer signing, Liam Delap, is set to be sidelined for an extended period after suffering a hamstring injury just before the international break, confirmed manager Enzo Maresca on Friday. Delap, who joined from Ipswich Town in June, had been a key figure in the Blues’ opening Premier League matches, featuring in all three games so far this season.
The 21-year-old forward was forced off early in Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Fulham on August 30, and Maresca provided an update on his condition, stating, “Liam, I think it’s around 10 to 12 weeks, so a long way to go.”
This unfortunate injury leaves Chelsea short of forward options, especially ahead of their upcoming derby against Brentford. To cover Delap’s absence, the club recalled Marc Guiu from his loan spell at Sunderland, although Maresca is aware that Guiu, alongside Joao Pedro—who arrived from Brighton in July—may need to step up.
Maresca admitted the team is feeling the pressure in terms of attacking depth, saying, “We have the injury for sure now in this moment as a number nine. The only one is Guiu, and Joao (Pedro) can also play there. Against Fulham, we used Tyrique (George) as a nine. So we can also think about him.”
The Chelsea manager also touched on the potential return of England forward Cole Palmer, who has been out with a groin injury, noting he is close to being fit again. However, Maresca raised concerns about the availability of some of his international players, particularly those who recently returned from Brazil. “The three Brazilian players arrived yesterday; they didn’t train, they did some recovery sessions. Moises (Caicedo) arrived last night. They’re all a question mark for tomorrow,” Maresca explained.
The manager’s concerns extend beyond Delap’s injury, with several players having only just returned from international duty. Brazil’s recent match against Bolivia, played at high altitude, adds to the complexity of recovery times. “Brazil’s game took place at an altitude of more than 4,000 metres, creating a further complicating factor in recovery times,” Maresca added.
In addition to injury concerns, Chelsea has also been under scrutiny from the Football Association (FA). The club was charged with 74 alleged breaches of rules related to payments to agents between 2009 and 2022, mostly during the ownership of Roman Abramovich. However, Maresca stressed that the players are not overly concerned about the ongoing investigation, saying, “I know the club is satisfied about the situation, about the process. Personally, I don’t have anything to add because I don’t have any idea. If I say something, I could be wrong. I just focus on the pitch side, which I can control.”
Despite the injury woes and off-field issues, Chelsea remains in strong form, sitting second in the Premier League after three matches this season. Maresca’s side will be hoping for a swift return to fitness for Delap and the others, as they look to maintain their momentum in what promises to be a challenging season.
AFP
