Cole Palmer
Chelsea is grappling with a significant injury crisis as they prepare for the 2025/26 campaign. The Blues’ involvement in the Club World Cup provided manager Enzo Maresca with a 13-day window to work with his squad, but the injury list continues to grow. Cole Palmer is expected to be sidelined for another six weeks, as confirmed by Maresca during a pre-match press conference ahead of their clash with Nottingham Forest. The situation is compounded by several other players facing long-term injuries.
Nevin said: “Cole Palmer is the same as everyone, not in terms of quality, but in terms of he’s one of those things called a human being. The physicality of what Chelsea players have gone through, it’s going to get to them and we know it’s going to get them. And it’s not a maybe, it’s a when, not if. So Cole is getting a little bit of it now. Because he played all through the summer, I thought a big hit would happen around November, December time. I thought that sort of time you’d start seeing a lot of injuries and form dipping with a number of players. Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more. So Cole, he’s one of the first ones, but have a look back at centre-back. Chelsea finished off the game against Liverpool with I think their sixth and seventh choice centre-halves. Chelsea’s pre-season was two games in three days. It’s bizarre, it’s wrong, it’s impossible. So it’s going to hit them. And that’s going to be Enzo Maresca’s biggest challenge this season. He’s got a good enough squad for the top four. There’s no doubt. But how you get a good enough, fit enough squad for top four, that’s what we need to find out.”
The injury woes for Chelsea extend beyond Palmer. Liam Delap is eyeing a return next month following a long-term hamstring issue. Meanwhile, Dario Essugo is expected to be out until December due to a thigh surgery, and Levi Colwill faces a lengthy recovery after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in pre-season. Benoit Badiashile is another recent casualty, suffering a muscular problem during Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool, with his return not anticipated until December.
Additionally, the fitness of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, and Pedro Neto remains uncertain ahead of Saturday’s fixture against Nottingham Forest. On a positive note, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Andrey Santos have recovered from their respective injuries.
Chelsea’s early season injury struggles have been attributed to their rigorous pre-season schedule, which included two games in three days. This unprecedented preparation has raised concerns about player welfare and squad depth as the club aims for a top-four finish in the Premier League.
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