Enzo Maresca, the manager of Chelsea, has revealed that star midfielder Cole Palmer will be out for “six more weeks” due to groin injury suffered on September 20 during 2-1 defeat in the Premier League
against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The 23-year-old has been recovering from the fitness issue for the better part of one month with the initial expectation of him returning before the end of this October, but it won’t be the case.
Notably, Cole Palmer first suffered the groin injury during Chelsea’s shortened pre-season in the summer after winning the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 in July, and the problem reoccurred in September. Ahead of the international break, which began earlier this month, Chelsea had given time off to the Englishman to help him get fit and ready as soon as possible, which hasn’t quite materialised well for them.
During the press conference earlier today ahead of tomorrow’s clash against Nottingham Forest at City Ground, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca was quoted as saying about the latest on Cole Palmer’s fitness, “I was wrong. Unfortunately, he (Cole Palmer) needs to be out probably six more weeks. So, yes, this is the update. We try to protect Cole as much as we can. The most important thing is when he comes back, he is fully fit.”
Cole Palmer has played only three matches in Premier League this season
“The medical staff are not magicians. We hope six weeks are enough. We need to see it step-by-step. For sure, he's going to be OK. He looks relaxed. He has tried to recover from the injury and is doing all the therapy,” Enzo Maresca added. After scoring 15 Premier League goals last season along with nine assists in 37 appearances, he has played only three matches in the ongoing 2025-26 campaign with just one goal to his name.
Moreover, Maresca had no qualms in admitting that Chelsea “don’t have another player” like Palmer, and which is why replacing his kind of player is “always difficult”.
