Thomas Tuchel says he would be “surprised” if Cole Palmer features for Chelsea against Nottingham Forest immediately after the international break.
Palmer was left out of the squad named on Friday morning due to a groin injury which Tuchel feels there is a “danger” could become “chronic”.
The Chelsea attacker was also absent from the September camp because of a flare up in the persistent problem which Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has said is not the type of injury that will just go away.
Palmer has been absent from five of the last seven international camps due to injury, including this month’s upcoming games against Wales and Latvia.
Tuchel, hired on an 18-month contract with next summer’s World Cup in mind, was asked whether he might run out of time to work with the 23-year-old because of his injury record.
“He was only in the June camp,” he said. “That is concerning, of course. First of all, the most important thing is that he can play without pain, because the groin issue is a very dangerous one to become chronic.
“This is the most important thing. When he's fit and when he has rhythm and flow, he can decide matches on club level and, for sure, on international level. We know that.
“There is also with him no problem at all [for me]. We clearly understand and see the potential and the quality, but there is also a reality that he was not available in five of the [last] seven camps, so right now there are two camps left before the World Cup.”
Maresca has said that Palmer is out until after the international break. Chelsea’s first game back is their league encounter with Forest away at the City Ground on October 18.
But Tuchel is not expecting Palmer to return to action in that match, he has said.
“It would surprise me this time if he was able to play,” he admitted.
