LONDON — Defender Wesley Fofana from Chelsea may have seen the end of his season due to a hamstring injury.
The 24-year-old French footballer had already been sidelined for the entire 2023-24 season following an ACL surgery, making his last appearance on December 1 during a 3-0 victory against Aston Villa, where he was substituted.

Chelsea’s manager, Enzo Maresca, reported on Friday that Fofana’s condition is more severe than previously thought and indicated that the center-back will be out of action for an extended period.
Currently, there are no immediate plans for surgery to address the injury.
“He could be out for the season,” Maresca stated, adding, “We don’t know exactly if it will be for the entire season, but unfortunately, he could miss a significant part of it.”

Fofana’s transfer to Chelsea in the summer of 2022 from Leicester City made him one of the most valuable defenders in the sport, with a transfer fee of £75 million ($93 million).
Maresca acknowledged the impact of Fofana’s absence, saying, “For sure, for us, Wes is a huge loss.”

Throughout the 2022-23 season, Fofana participated in only 15 matches in the Premier League.
In discussing the nature of his injury, Maresca noted, “I don’t think this type of injury can be compared to previous ones. This one is muscular, and I believe he has never faced muscle-related issues before, so it’s entirely different. It’s unfortunate, but he will recover and return to his previous level.”

Chelsea currently holds the fourth position in the Premier League standings, trailing leader Liverpool by 10 points.
The Blues are set to compete against Crystal Palace on Saturday.