Chelsea’s Injury Woes Deepen As Summer Signing Suffers Setback On International Duty
2 min read
By Sportsgister
Chelsea’s growing injury list has received yet another blow, with summer signing Dário Essugo picking up a muscle problem while on international duty with Portugal.
The Blues have endured a nightmare start to the season with injuries across the squad. Levi Colwill is already facing the possibility of missing the entire campaign following an ACL injury sustained in pre-season training.
Meanwhile, Cole Palmer was forced out with a groin issue during warm-up against West Ham United, Liam Delap suffered a hamstring injury against Fulham, and Moises Caicedo recently sat out Ecuador’s international fixture.
Essugo, who arrived at Stamford Bridge this summer after his move was finalized earlier in the year, had been one of the standout performers in pre-season. His energy and composure in midfield suggested he could become a valuable alternative to Caicedo when rotation is needed.
However, those plans have now been dealt a setback. The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed the teenager sustained a muscle injury in his right thigh during training.
“The Chelsea midfielder was excused from training due to a muscle problem in his right thigh, which he suffered after training on Monday. The athlete was evaluated by the Portuguese Football Federation’s Health and Performance Department on Tuesday morning and was declared unavailable,” read the statement.
While the full extent of the injury is not yet known, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will be concerned as his midfield options continue to shrink. Romeo Lavia is still sidelined with long-term issues, leaving the Blues short of depth in central areas.
There is, however, some positive news: Caicedo’s problem is not considered serious, and he is expected to feature in Ecuador’s clash with Argentina next week.
For Essugo, the hope is that his absence is precautionary and not indicative of a long-term setback. Chelsea will be desperate to have him back in contention, especially with fixture congestion looming.
Best wishes go out to the young midfielder for a speedy recovery.
Sedara Philip is a Sports writer, an administrator,Journalist,and editor
