Young Chelsea defender ruled out for the rest of the year with injury

While Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer has returned to full training, the club has been hit with another setback — an injury to one of their young defenders.

Details: According to The Athletic, 20-year-old centre-back Dário Essugo sustained an injury while on duty with Portugal’s youth national team, which required hip surgery. As a result, he will not feature again in 2025, with his return to action expected in 2026.

Essugo joined Chelsea this summer from Sporting for €22.3 million. The 20-year-old has already made three appearances for the Blues at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Earlier, we reported that Chelsea were charged by the governing body for breaching FA regulations: rules J1 and C2 concerning agents, A2 and A3 on intermediaries, as well as A1 and B3 related to third-party investment in players.

Reminder: Chelsea striker Liam Delap suffered an injury during the clash with Fulham, forcing the club to adjust their transfer plans. It has since become clear how long Enzo Maresca will have to cope without his new signing.