Chelsea striker Liam Delap could be sidelined until December after suffering a hamstring injury, manager Enzo Maresca confirmed on Friday.
Delap, who joined from Ipswich Town for £30 million in June, featured in all three of Chelsea’s Premier League games before being forced off during the 2-0 win against Fulham on August 30.
“Liam, I think it’s around 10 to 12 weeks, so a long way to go,” Maresca told reporters.
Chelsea have recalled Marc Guiu from his loan at Sunderland to provide cover, while Joao Pedro, Tyrique George, and Cole Palmer are also forward options. However, Maresca admitted the injury leaves the squad short in attack ahead of Saturday’s west London derby at Brentford.
Brazilian trio Joao Pedro, Estevao Willian, and Andrey Santos only returned to England on Thursday after international duty, while Moises Caicedo arrived late following Ecuador’s win over Argentina, leaving their availability in doubt.
Chelsea sit second in the Premier League after three games, but the club faces off-field scrutiny after being charged by the Football Association with 74 alleged breaches of agent payment rules between 2009 and 2022.
Maresca, who guided Chelsea to UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup success last season, said he remains focused on football.
