Cole Palmer Injury: Chelsea return date, what Thomas Tuchel and Enzo Maresca have said

Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer will not be involved with the England squad for fixtures against Wales and Latvia over the international break as he continues to struggle with an injury.

Enzo Maresca’s side did not appear to need Palmer as they pulled off an impressive last gasp 2-1 win over Liverpool last weekend but the playmaker’s importance to the Blues remains vital.

Palmer managed 18 goals and 14 assists for Chelsea last season and has gone from strength to strength since his £40 million move from Manchester City in 2023. Here’s your injury latest.

Cole Palmer injury latest

Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer has not played for the club since a 21 minute cameo in the 2-1 defeat to Manchester United. The midfielder started that fixture at Old Trafford but was taken off in the first half because of a recurring groin injury.

Palmer has managed 90 minutes on just two occasions so far this term, against Crystal Palace and Bayern Munich. The 23-year-old has been carrying the problem since pre-season.

The Blues star has been managing the fitness issue since the club’s two-week pre-season following the Club World Cup triumph this summer. Palmer played in all but one of Chelsea’s Club World Cup matches, racking up 556 minutes.

When will Cole Palmer return for Chelsea

The Daily Mail reports that Cole Palmer will return to action for Chelsea ‘within weeks’, rather than days or months. That could put the England international in contention of being back in action after the international break, but the Blues are likely to be cautious with his return.

Chelsea travel to Nottingham Forest on October 18 before then welcoming Ajax to Stamford Bridge in Champions League action on October 22. The likelihood is that Palmer will not be involved in those matches.

There are then meetings with Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on October 25 and a trip to Molineux to face Wolves in Carabao Cup action on October 29. BBC Sport reporter Nizaar Kinsella believes that Palmer will sit out of those fixtures too and potentially return for the London derby against Tottenham Hotspur in north London on November 1.

What Enzo Maresca and Thomas Tuchel have said about Chelsea midfielder

England manager Thomas Tuchel was concerned that Palmer’s groin issue could turn ‘chronic’ if the player is not managed well at this important part in his career. Speaking ahead of the upcoming international games, which the Chelsea man will not be involved in, Tuchel said: “He was only in the June camp. That is concerning, of course.

"First of all, the most important thing is that he can play without pain, because the groin issue is a very dangerous one to become chronic. This is the most important thing. When he's fit and when he has rhythm and flow, he can decide matches on club level and, for sure, on international level. We know that.

“There is also with him no problem at all [for me]. We clearly understand and see the potential and the quality, but there is also a reality that he was not available in five of the [last] seven camps, so right now there are two camps left before the World Cup.”

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca outlined the club’s plan to get Palmer fit again prior to the 3-1 defeat to Brighton at the end of September. He said: "Yes, we decided to protect a little bit Cole. In terms of not letting his injury get worse.

"We decided to rest him for two, three weeks until the international break to see if with that rest he can recover 100% and to be fit after the international break. I don't think he needs surgery but it is just to manage the pain in his groin. We have decided to be a little bit conservative with him."

In other news, Danny Murphy praises Enzo Maresca for what he did with 'kamikaze' 7/10 Chelsea star v Liverpool.