The England forward is expected to remain out of action until at least next month, with surgery no longer being considered. ..Continue Reading
The injury has affected the 23-year-old since the start of the 2025/26 campaign, limiting him to just 140 minutes of play since September.
Back in August, he was pulled from the starting line-up against West Ham United shortly before kick-off, then spent two weeks receiving treatment before returning to score off the bench against Brentford last month.
Just a week later, he was substituted early in the defeat to Manchester United and has missed the last four matches.
Enzo Maresca ruled out any chance of him featuring in last weekend’s win over Liverpool, and his honest remarks suggest Palmer might still be unavailable after the October international break.
“Cole is still out,” he confessed last Friday. “I don’t have any updates at the moment. We have a meeting this week to see how he is, and we will then decide [whether he can return after the international break].”
While many Chelsea players have been away on international duty recently, Palmer also appears to have left west London.
Photos showing the Chelsea talisman with fans in Dubai have appeared online. It’s unclear why he traveled to the Middle East, though some believe he may have gone to see a specialist.
Another possibility is that he was given time off after several weeks of being unable to train at Cobham.
According to the Daily Mail, Palmer is expected to be out for weeks rather than months, with a return in November now likely, as the injury isn’t serious enough to need surgery.
There’s another two-week domestic break scheduled for November, making it unlikely that Palmer will be allowed to leave Chelsea and head to St George’s Park.
Comments from Thomas Tuchel have added to the concern, with the England boss describing the issue as “chronic”.
Palmer has not yet received a Three Lions call-up this season, and that situation seems unlikely to change before the year ends.
Given his recent impact, Chelsea will be keen to see Palmer back on the pitch soon—but not at the risk of worsening his condition.
Though he didn’t play in the win over Liverpool, Palmer was actively involved in the post-match celebrations after their thrilling victory against the Premier League champions.
Following a moment with match-winner Estevao Willian, Jorrel Hato jumped onto Palmer with excitement, which immediately triggered discomfort in his groin.
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