Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has confirmed that midfielder Cole Palmer will be sidelined for another six weeks due to injury.

Palmer, who has been out since limping off during Chelsea’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United on September 20, was initially expected to return shortly after the international break. However, that timeline has now been extended.

“I was wrong. Unfortunately, he needs to be out for probably six more weeks. So, yes, this is the update,” Maresca said during his pre-match press conference on Friday.

The 23-year-old England international’s absence has been a blow for the Blues, but Maresca said there was no indication that surgery would be needed.

“We try just to protect Cole as much as we can, and the most important thing is that when he comes back, he’s fully recovered,” the Italian coach explained.

With Chelsea preparing to face Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Maresca acknowledged the challenge of compensating for Palmer’s creativity and influence.

“For sure, we need to find a different solution, we need to find different skills, because we don’t have another player like Cole,” he said. “Because Cole is unique.”