Latest Chelsea injury news as four miss Bournemouth with Gusto and Lavia updates expected

Enzo Maresca will be glad that, come Saturday night, his football can do the talking once more after a chaotic international break for Chelsea. Starting with the worries of Cole Palmer being injured and ending in ownership disarray, September's gap has been unnecessarily dramatic.

Having started to get settled at Stamford Bridge prior to the break - although a Conference League defeat and Premier League draw to Crystal Palace tempered optimism - Maresca could now be plunged into the centre of a power struggle between co-owners Clearlake Capital (fronted by Behdad Eghali) and Todd Boehly.

It's the hot-topic that will now likely dominate his pre-match press conference and could do for the foreseeable should quick answers not come. For the Italian coach, that distraction is not needed.

He will be aiming to get back to winning ways on the trip to Bournemouth, and there are questions to be asked. One of the lasting sights from the 1-1 frustration against Palace was Malo Gusto holding his hamstring.

The Frenchman went off injured after an hour, while he was then seen with an ice pack over his leg. He had been called up for international duty with the Under-21s, but withdrew from the squad.

He hasn't been seen in training since. Wesley Fofana was also, initially, called up by Didier Deschamps and France.

It was his first time being selected for almost 18 months, but Fofana also withdrew. A statement from the French Football Federation explained that Fofana would 'take advantage of the international break to follow a treatment protocol, linked to the injuries which kept him away from the pitch for a long time last season'.

The same cannot be said for Palmer. He also backed out of action - this time for England - but has been central to the work at Cobham with those not away with their country. It's not clear what the issue was for Palmer, who was also left out of Chelsea's Conference League squad, which was announced during September's break, but that does not seem to too serious and shouldn't put his availability against the Cherries in doubt.

Unfortunately for Maresca, he's certain to be working without Reece James. The club captain missed the opening three Premier League games of the season via suspension - one which carried over from last term - but would not have been fit enough to play in any case.

James picked up yet another hamstring knock at the end of pre-season and has been working towards a recovery ever since. It's reported that he's not yet thought to be close to a return, and is another who hasn't been seen back on the grass in training.

Joining James as a serious doubt for upcoming games is Romeo Lavia. He had started the year in good form after a strong summer, but has once more been sidelined. He's picked up a hamstring strain of his own and missed the last three games before the international break.

Maresca said that he hoped it would not be 'a huge concern' for the midfielder, but he's yet to be (publicly) shown by Chelsea in training and that could see a return pushed back beyond Bournemouth.

Lastest Head-to-Head

Chelsea 2-1 Bournemouth,19/05/24

When and Where

Bournemouth vs Chelsea. Premier League.

8:00pm, Saturday 14th September 2024.(GMT+0)

Vitality Stadium.

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