EPL: Chelsea Striker Delap Sidelined for Three Months, Maresca Confirms
EPL: Chelsea Striker Delap Sidelined for Three Months, Maresca Confirms
Chelsea forward Liam Delap may be out of action until December after sustaining a hamstring injury before the international break, manager Enzo Maresca revealed on Friday.
Delap, who joined the Blues from Ipswich in June for £30 million ($40 million), had appeared in all three of Chelsea’s Premier League games this season before being forced off early in the 2-0 victory over Fulham on August 30.
“Liam will be out for about 10 to 12 weeks, so it’s still a long recovery ahead,” Maresca told reporters.
Chelsea recalled forward Marc Guiu from a loan spell at Sunderland to cover for Delap after Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson left the Blues for Bayern Munich on transfer deadline day.
Maresca also has another forward option in Joao Pedro, who arrived at Stamford Bridge from Brighton in July.
But the Chelsea boss admitted Delap’s injury left him short of forward options ahead of Saturday’s west London derby at Brentford.
“We have the injury for sure now in this moment as a number nine,” he said.
“The only one is Guiu. And Joao (Pedro) can also play there. Against Fulham, we used Tyrique (George) as a nine. So we can also think about him.”
England forward Cole Palmer is nearing a return after missing Chelsea’s victories over West Ham and Fulham with a groin injury and could be involved on Saturday.
But Maresca said there was a question mark over the involvement of Joao Pedro, Estevao Willian and Andrey Santos, all of whom arrived back in England on Thursday after playing in Brazil’s 1-0 defeat to Bolivia.
Moises Caicedo returned late on Thursday following Ecuador’s victory over Argentina.
Brazil’s game took place at an altitude of more than 4,000 metres, creating a further complicating factor in recovery times.
“The three Brazilian players arrived yesterday; they didn’t train, they did some recovery sessions. Moises arrived last night. They’re all a question mark for tomorrow”, Maresca said.
Maresca noted that winger Alejandro Garnacho, who recently joined from Manchester United, has been “working well” but is still short of full fitness.
Chelsea, who lifted both the UEFA Conference League and the Club World Cup in Maresca’s debut season, currently sit second in the Premier League after three matches.
On Thursday, the club was charged by the Football Association with 74 alleged breaches of rules concerning agent payments between 2009 and 2022. According to the FA, most of the charges relate to the 2010/11 to 2015/16 seasons, during Roman Abramovich’s ownership.
Responding, Maresca said: “I know the club is comfortable with the situation and the process. Personally, I don’t have anything to add because I don’t have the details. If I comment, I might be wrong. My focus is on the pitch, which is what I can control. I don’t think the players are particularly worried about it, to be honest.”
AFP
