Bad News: Chelsea injury latest as four miss Bournemouth with Gusto and Lavia update

The most recent information on Chelsea’s injuries as Enzo Maresca gets his team ready to play Bournemouth following the eventful international break in September.

Malo Gusto went off injured for Chelsea in the Crystal Palace game. (Image: Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)

Following a turbulent international break for Chelsea, Enzo Maresca will be relieved that, come Saturday night, his football can take centre stage once more. September’s gap has been unduly dramatic, beginning with concerns about Cole Palmer getting hurt and culminating in ownership chaos.

After beginning to settle into Stamford Bridge before the break, Maresca could now find itself at the centre of a power struggle between co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, led by Behdad Eghali. This is despite the fact that a Premier League draw and Conference League defeat dampened optimism.

In the event that prompt responses are not forthcoming, this hot-topic is likely to take centre stage during his pre-match press conference and may do so in the near future. The Italian coach does not require that diversion.

During the journey to Bournemouth, he will be trying to return back to winning ways, and there are questions to be answered. Malo Gusto clutching his hamstring was one of the images that stuck in people’s minds during the 1-1 loss to Palace.

After an hour, the Frenchman left hurt and was later seen wearing an ice pack on his leg. Despite being called up for Under-21 international service, he chose not to play for the team.

Since then, no one has seen him in training. Didier Deschamps and France also first called up Wesley Fofana.

Not only was it Fofana’s first selection in nearly eighteen months, but he also pulled out. Fofana would “take advantage of the international break to follow a treatment protocol, linked to the injuries which kept him away from the pitch for a long time last season,” according to a statement from the French Football Federation.

Palmer’s situation is not the same. He also withdrew from action, this time for England, but he remained crucial to the Cobham team’s work with the men who were not serving their nation. Palmer was also left off of Chelsea’s Conference League roster, which was revealed in September. The nature of Palmer’s problem is unknown, but it doesn’t appear to be too serious and shouldn’t affect his availability against the Cherries.

Regretfully, Maresca will undoubtedly have to work without Reece James. The team captain was suspended for the first three Premier League games of the season, one of which was carried over from the previous campaign, but he was never going to be well enough to participate.

After suffering yet another hamstring injury at the conclusion of the preseason, James has been focussing on getting well ever since. He is another who hasn’t been spotted back on the turf during training, and it’s said that he’s not yet considered to be close to a return.

Romeo Lavia is another player James has to be seriously doubted for next games. After a great summer, he had been playing well at the beginning of the year, but he has been sidelined again. Due to a personal hamstring problem, he was unable to play in the final three games prior to the international break.

Although Maresca expressed his optimism that the midfielder wouldn’t have “a huge concern,” the fact that Chelsea hasn’t seen him in training yet could delay his comeback beyond Bournemouth.