Chelsea dealt blow as international break injury set to sideline ANOTHER star for six weeks

Chelsea have been dealt yet another injury blow as it has emerged that summer addition Romeo Lavia could miss as many as six weeks after picking up an injury in training. The Belgian, who was overlooked for his national team for the September international break, completed a £55m to Chelsea over the summer despite longstanding interest and a late push from Liverpool. However, he is yet to make his debut for his new side after not being considered a match fit by Mauricio Pochettino, and that potential date is now set to be pushed even further back. It comes after he limped out of a Chelsea training session with an ankle injury which could leave him sidelined for the next six weeks. 

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As per the Daily Mail ‘early indications following tests are that Lavia has suffered some ligament damage’ and the ‘problem serious [is] enough to spark concerns he will be sidelined for at least a month and a half’.

Should this prove to be the case, Lavia will be absent for Premier League games against Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Fulham and Burnley, as well as a Carabao Cup third round tie against Brighton and the October internationals for Belgium.

He would also be a doubt for home games against London rivals Arsenal and Brentford, both of which come at the end of October.

Lavia’s injury is the latest in a long line of issues for mid-table Chelsea, who have won just one of their opening four games of the season.

Christopher Nkunku and Wesley Fofana are both sidelined with knee injuries, while Reece James and Carney Chukwuemeka are also out through injury and Benoit Badiashile is only just making his way back from a long-term hamstring issue that saw him miss all of pre-season.

Fortunately, in the case of Lavia, Chelsea are well stocked in central midfield, with Moises Caicedo and youngster Lesley Ugochukwu having both arrived in the summer and Conor Gallagher having remained at the club despite speculation that he may depart.