Enzo Maresca has admitted that losing defender Wesley Fofana for the remainder of the season would be a "huge loss" for Chelsea after scans confirmed a severe hamstring injury. Fofana, 24, has already been sidelined for over a month, and this latest setback will prolong his injury woes since joining Chelsea from Leicester for £70 million ($87 million) in 2022. In total, Fofana has made just 32 appearances for the club.

"Unfortunately, he could be out for the season," said Chelsea boss Maresca on Friday. "He has a hamstring injury, and sadly, we will be without him for a while. I’ve said many times that I love Wes, and not having him available is a huge loss for us."

Fofana's absence is further complicated by the ongoing injury of fellow French centre-back Benoit Badiashile, who is expected to be out until February. On a positive note, captain Reece James and midfielder Romeo Lavia are both nearing a return ahead of Chelsea’s upcoming trip to Crystal Palace.

Chelsea’s hopes of mounting a title challenge have taken a hit, following a disappointing run of just one point from a possible nine in recent games against Everton, Fulham, and Ipswich. Despite this, the Blues remain in the top four, keeping their Champions League qualification hopes alive for next season.

In his first season at Stamford Bridge, Maresca has always emphasized that his young squad was not yet ready to compete for the title. He remains optimistic about the team's progress, despite the setbacks.

“We don’t like to lose games and drop points, but it’s not going to derail our journey,” Maresca commented. “We all know that losses are part of the process. What matters is seeing how the team is improving.”