Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is set to be without key first-team players following a series of injury blows, with their extended 2024/2025 as a result of the Club World Cup appearing to have dire consequences.

There were concerns about how the squad would react to both a summer tournament after an already-long campaign last term, not to mention their extremely limited pre-season.

Defender Levi Colwill will be out for the majority of this season after tearing his ACL at the end of a Cobham training session, prompting Stamford Bridge chiefs to briefly consider the possibility of signing a new centre-back on loan in the summer transfer window (Simon Phillips).

Meanwhile, midfield general Moises Caicedo has been spotted with a strapped-up knee training in Ecuador — adding further concerns for Maresca ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League return against Brentford at the bizarre kick-off time of 20:00 on Saturday.

Chelsea fans are also sweating over the fitness of Cole Palmer, and there is a real lack of clarity when it comes to the extent of his injury or when he’ll be available for selection once again.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

In some better news for Maresca, Benoit Badiashile and Roméo Lavia have returned to training this week, meaning it cannot be long before both men are ready to be selected in Chelsea’s matchday squads. Some west London insiders are backing Badiashile in particular to stake his claim under Maresca and play a role this season (Ben Jacobs),

However, in the last 24 hours, Chelsea were dealt a major blow with news that summer signing Liam Delap will be out until November after his hamstring injury in the win over Fulham.

The striker is poised to miss some huge games in the next two months, including a trip to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, a London derby against Tottenham and a crucial face-off against English champions Liverpool.

Brentford (H) – Premier League

Bayern Munich (A) – Champions League

Man United (A) – Premier League

Lincoln City (A) – EFL Cup

Brighton (H) – Premier League

Benfica (H) – Champions League

Liverpool (H) – Premier League

Nottingham Forest (A) – Premier League

Ajax (H) – Champions League

Sunderland (H) – Premier League

Tottenham (A) – Premier League

Qarabag (H) – Champions League

Delap’s injury prompted Chelsea to reconsider loaning Nicolas Jackson to Bayern, but they eventually agreed to the Senegalese departing for Bavaria on better terms whilst deciding to instead recall Marc Guiu from his temporary spell at Sunderland.

Chelsea dealt another injury blow as club release Dario Essugo statement

Now, Maresca can add another summer signing, Dario Essugo, to their list of absentees.

Chelsea have confirmed that the 20-year-old has undergone surgery on a thigh problem he sustained on international duty with Portugal’s Under-21s, with Essugo now set to undergo extensive rehab.

Taking to social media, the “exciting” midfielder has claimed that he will be out “for a while”.

“Unfortunately, during this international break with the National Team I felt something in my thigh that required surgery and will keep me out for a while,” said Essugo.

“It’s frustrating to start the season like this, especially after already facing another setback not long ago. But I truly believe everything happens for a reason. God has a bigger plan. I’ll be back stronger.”