Liam Rosenior has confirmed Jamie Gittens has a tear in his hamstring and is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Gittens joined Chelsea from Borussia Dortmund in the summer in a deal worth an initial £48m, but has struggled to make an impact at Stamford Bridge.
The England under-21 international has made 27 appearances in all competitions this season, but has scored just once, although he has registered five assists.
Liam Rosenior provides Jamie Gittens fitness update
Gittens scored his only goal for Chelsea against Wolves in the Carabao Cup, and he’s started just five Premier League games.
The 21-year-old was handed a rare start against West Ham last weekend, but went off injured after just 26 minutes.
Jamie Gittens goes off injured against West Ham.
Gittens picked up a tear in his hamstring against West Ham. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
It was unclear at the time what had happened to Gittens, but speaking ahead of Saturday’s game with Wolves, Rosenior provided an update.
“Jamie, he’s looking a little bit more long-term,” he told his pre-match press conference.
“It’s a real shame for him. He’s got a tear in his hamstring, which is a real shame for him. I have not worked with him for too long.
“Obviously, I know about his career and what an outstanding player he is. Yeah, so that’s going to be a big miss for us.”
Cole Palmer ready to play 90 minutes
Whilst Gittens is set for a spell on the sidelines, Rosenior also confirmed Cole Palmer is ready to play 90 minutes against Wolves.
More Stories / Latest News
A generic view of Stamford Bridge in the dark.
Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart watch Chelsea in action.
Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard in a montage.
Palmer was on the bench against Arsenal, and struggled to have the desired impact on the game when coming on in the second half.
The 23-year-old has struggled since returning from a groin injury in December, and Rosenior needs to get him back to his back as quickly as possible to give Chelsea the best chance of qualifying for the Champions League.