Chelsea are already dealing with significant injury problems heading into the first international break of the season.
The Blues have enjoyed an impressive start to the new Premier League campaign, briefly topping the table after back-to-back London derby wins over West Ham and Fulham that followed a goalless draw with Crystal Palace on opening weekend.
However, Enzo Maresca’s side are already beginning to feel the effects of a hectic schedule in 2025 that saw them go all the way at the inaugural summer Club World Cup in the United States with little respite before a shortened pre-season.
With Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile already sidelined, along with long-term absentee Levi Colwill and the unavailable Mykhailo Mudryk, Moises Caicedo - who had been struggling after the rout of West Ham - and Joao Pedro seemed to shake off late knocks in the incident-packed 2-0 win over Fulham, but the same could not be said of Liam Delap.
Here is the latest Chelsea injury news and return dates ahead of yet another all-London affair against Brentford in a busy spell after the break that also includes high-profile meetings with Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Liverpool.
Cole Palmer
Palmer was meant to start against West Ham, only to be withdrawn in the warm-up after suffering a groin injury. Maresca later revealed that Chelsea’s star man played through the issue on opening day.
He was ruled out of the win over Fulham and omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad for 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia, with Maresca describing his status as “day by day”.
It remains to be seen exactly when Palmer will be ready to return, but fans will be hoping he’s fit quickly after the international break.
Potential return date: September
Liam Delap
Chelsea’s £30million summer signing pulled up while trying to chase down an early long ball against Fulham, immediately grabbing his right hamstring and receiving medical attention.
He was forced off just 15 minutes into the game and Maresca said afterwards that it was the sort of injury that usually meant six to eight weeks on the sidelines.
The injury came on the same day that Chelsea confirmed Christopher Nkunku’s permanent move to AC Milan, with Nicolas Jackson’s proposed loan switch to Bayern Munich dramatically scrapped at the 11th hour.
It has since been reported that Chelsea fear Delap could be out for longer than feared as he prepares to undergo a scan, making it very difficult indeed to predict an accurate return date at this stage.
Potential return date: Unknown
Romeo Lavia
The Belgian midfielder has not played for Chelsea since their Club World Cup last-16 win over Benfica in late June, having been struggling with an unspecified muscle issue ever since.
Maresca said before the win over Fulham that he hoped Lavia would be closer to returning following the international break, but would not be ready for action straightaway.
Chelsea will be desperately hoping that the former Southampton star can finally prove his fitness after an injury-plagued spell at Stamford Bridge so far.
Potential return date: September/October
Benoit Badiashile
Badiashile is a very similar case to Lavia, having not played since picking up a similarly unspecified injury in that same game against Benfica.
He was said to be working his way towards a return in September, with Chelsea’s defensive ranks already impacted by Colwill’s anterior cruciate ligament injury that will see the latter miss most of the season.
And like Lavia, Maresca hopes Badiashile will be closer to returning after the international break, but doesn’t expect him back straightaway.
Potential return date: September/October
