Chelsea Star Cole Palmer's Comeback Date Unveiled as Maresca Breaks Silence on Manchester United Blow
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has confirmed that midfielder Cole Palmer will be sidelined until after the October international window as the club works to prevent their star player from requiring surgical intervention for a groin problem that has hampered his early season form.
Palmer withdrew during pre-match preparations for August's win against West Ham United and was absent for the subsequent victory over Fulham, before making a substitute appearance to find the net in the 2–2 stalemate with Brentford.
The England star then completed the full 90 minutes while scoring against Bayern Munich but lasted only 20 minutes in the turbulent loss to Manchester United, departing with a recurrence of his initial groin complaint.
Prior to Saturday's clash with Brighton & Hove Albion, Maresca emphasized that Chelsea remains optimistic Palmer can avoid surgical treatment, but confirmed the 23-year-old will be withdrawn from competition for several weeks to facilitate natural healing.
"We chose to safeguard Cole somewhat to prevent him from sustaining a more serious injury," Maresca stated. "Therefore we opted to rest him for the next two or three weeks, likely until the international break, simply to determine if that rest period allows him to recover completely and be fully prepared following the international break.
"I don't believe he requires surgery. It's simply about controlling his discomfort and his groin issue. The volume of matches is something that can occur. This is why we're attempting to take a cautious approach with him to provide rest and hopefully he can be completely healthy after the international break."
The Games Cole Palmer Could Miss Through Injury
Starting with Saturday's encounter against Brighton, Palmer may be absent for up to three matches if he stays out until the international window.
Palmer will miss the homecoming of former Blues manager José Mourinho, who will lead his current Benfica team to Stamford Bridge for the second Champions League group stage fixture on Sept. 30.
Most concerning for Chelsea supporters, Palmer will also be unavailable for the last Premier League match before the break, featuring a home encounter with defending champions Liverpool on Oct. 4.
Given his injury will definitely exclude Palmer from Thomas Tuchel's England selection, Chelsea would then have an additional 14 days to collaborate with their key midfielder hoping to restore him for an away fixture against Nottingham Forest.
"We acknowledged that with Cole we perform better, but we also recognized that we must compete in matches without Cole, so we certainly won't field 10 players," Maresca observed. "We will identify an alternative approach."