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Chelsea confirm Liam Delap injury timeline with update on Cole Palmer fitness

Originally posted on HITC | By GRV Writer Lab | Last updated Sep 12, 2025 6:32 AM ET

Enzo Maresca has spoken to the media before Chelsea’s match against Brentford, providing updates on Liam Delap and Cole Palmer.

Delap picked up a hamstring injury during the win over Fulham, while Palmer has been dealing with a minor groin issue.

The striker recently had a scan, and Maresca has now confirmed how long he will be out for.

Maresca explains why Delap won’t be rushed back from injury

Speaking about Delap’s recovery, Maresca said: “He is still not training with us. He tried this week but he still feels something so we want to avoid risks. I think it will be after the international break. When you have this kind of injury you try every day and when you feel good you go.”

The exact return date will depend on how quickly he recovers over the next couple of weeks, but it seems clear that Chelsea don’t want to take any chances by rushing him back too soon.

Liam Delap sidelined for 10-12 weeks, but Cole Palmer could be back soon

There were already concerns that Delap would be out for a significant period after pulling his hamstring, and those fears have now been confirmed. However, Maresca did provide some positive news regarding Palmer.

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Palmer returned to training on Thursday, raising hopes that he could feature this weekend. Speaking to football.london and the rest of the English media in his pre-match press conference, Maresca said: “Cole took part in the session yesterday for the first time, not the entire session. We have one more session this afternoon and we are going to try with him to see if he’s okay, otherwise he will be out tomorrow.”

On Delap’s situation, he added: “It’s around 10 to 12 weeks.”

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This means Delap will miss key fixtures, including meetings with Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Manchester United in the Premier League. However, Palmer is expected to be available for both matches.

Possible Chelsea vs. Brentford without Palmer and Delap

Delap has been ruled out of the Brentford clash, so Joao Pedro seems likely to fill the No.9 role. He’s played as a No.10 under Maresca too, so there’s always the option he could drop in there instead.

If Palmer isn’t fit to feature, Estevao Willian may be asked to step into that playmaker role, with Pedro staying higher up as the central forward.

Chelsea’s form before the international break was strong, collecting seven points from three matches, which has them sitting second in the table.

The Blues are just two points off Liverpool at the top, but John Terry has voiced concerns about whether they’re ready to compete for a title this year.

Terry pointed to a lack of experience across the squad as something that could hold them back over a full campaign.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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