Romeo Lavia provides Chelsea injury update for potential return under Maresca
Romeo Lavia of Chelsea has hinted at a potential return from his hamstring injury, which has sidelined him for the past four weeks. After joining Chelsea from Southampton for £53 million in 2023, the Belgian midfielder endured a tough debut season at Stamford Bridge due to injuries, and those problems have continued into the 2024/25 campaign.
Although Lavia completed a full pre-season and even started in the Premier League opener against Manchester City, he suffered a new injury in late August. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca initially downplayed the severity of the issue, labeling it as “nothing serious,” and suggested that Lavia might be back in time for the match against Bournemouth.
Despite Maresca’s optimism and Chelsea facing a shortage of senior midfielders, Lavia was not included in the squad for the trip to Bournemouth. Nonetheless, Chelsea managed to secure three points, with Christopher Nkunku scoring the winner, even as Renato Veiga filled in midfield due to the absences.
It was expected that Lavia would at least make the bench for Chelsea’s game against West Ham, but he was again missing from the lineup. However, Chelsea still secured another away win, with Moises Caicedo delivering a standout performance in midfield.
Following the Bournemouth match, Enzo Fernandez and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall returned to action, and Lavia could soon join them to give Maresca more midfield options. Lavia recently shared an update on Instagram, posting a training photo with a countdown emoji, indicating his recovery is progressing well.
Lavia may be in contention for the Carabao Cup fixture against Barrow on September 24th. Although he is unlikely to start, he could be included in the matchday squad, depending on his fitness.
Elsewhere, Chelsea continues to deal with other injuries, as Malo Gusto and Reece James remain out of action. Wesley Fofana has been filling in at right-back. James, who has not played this season, is working towards a return, though his comeback date remains uncertain. Maresca has been cautious in addressing James’ rehabilitation, stating that the priority is for him to return only when fully fit.
