English international Cole Palmer has suffered a fractured toe in a domestic accident, further delaying his return to action for Chelsea after a prolonged absence due to a groin injury.
Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca confirmed the new injury on Friday, stating Palmer sustained the fracture at home earlier in the week.
The setback means Palmer is expected to miss Chelsea’s next three matches.
These include Saturday’s fixture against Burnley, Tuesday’s home game versus FC Barcelona, and potentially the November 30 encounter with Arsenal.
Maresca described seeing the 23-year-old limping but noted he was walking well.
“The problem is that it was on the little toe, so contact with the boot can be a bit painful,” the coach said.
Palmer had been nearing a return to the field after being sidelined since August with a groin injury, making only a brief one-week comeback in September.
He has played only four games this season, scoring two goals.