Chelsea have been dealt a fresh injury blow after summer signing Tiemoue Bakayoko broke down during training on Friday, according to reports.
The Blues have only just got midfielders N’Golo Kante and Danny Drinkwater back to fitness after long lay-offs, while striker Michy Batshuayi was sent home from international duty with Belgium due to a knock.
And now, according to The Sun, Antonio Conte’s injury headache has just got even worse after Bakayoko was left ‘grimacing in pain’ during a routine training exercise.
The Frenchman, a £40m arrival from Monaco, was training away from the rest of the squad when the injury occurred and was forced to limp off the pitch early.
Chelsea have been trying to carefully manage Bakayoko’s fitness after he sustained a groin strain, and he has played through the pain barrier for much of the season – while he even arrived at the club fresh from having knee surgery.
As a result, he was working alone – rather than joining in with the rest of the squad in small-sided matches – when he pulled up in agony during a one-to-one sprinting session.
He was immediately taken to the treatment room, though the full severity of the injury has not yet been ascertained.
The injury, which has come during what is largely a period of recuperation for the players not involved in this week’s internationals, leaves Conte with yet more selection problems ahead of the resumption of the Premier League.
Chelsea restart their title defence away to West Brom on Saturday November 18, a match which is followed just days later by a trip to Qarabag, and Conte will be sweating on the fitness of Bakayoko ahead of such a busy period.
Antonio Conte allows David Luiz to return to training after bust-up
