[Chelsea](https://chelseanews.com/) currently sit seventh in the Premier League, and while they are behind Tottenham Hotspur on goal differential, nobody would dare take Spurs over the Blues after watching how Enzo Maresca’s men manhandled Thomas Frank’s side on Saturday.
As Chelsea prepare for Qarabag on Wednesday night in the Champions League, Maresca gave another pessimistic injury update on a midfielder who should be a key piece of the puzzle this season when healthy.
Dario Essugo was one of the best defensive midfielders in La Liga last season and a massive breakout star for Las Palmas, with Chelsea astutely picking him up early in the season on a pre-arranged deal for summer 2025.
But injuries have prevented Essugo from making an impact, as the 20-year-old is closing in on 15 total games missed after undergoing surgery early in the season to repair a thigh injury he suffered with the Portuguese youth team.
Maresca told reporters ahead of the Qarabag game that it may not be until January, December at the earliest, when the U21 talent can make his return to the Chelsea line up and back the duo of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo up.
Joe Soriano is the editor of _The Trivela Effect_ and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like _The Real Champs_ (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage _NFL Spin Zone_ and _Daily DDT,_ covering the NFL and pro wrestling.