Chelsea have reportedly decided to send Ben Chilwell for ACL surgery.
Ben Chilwell suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during Chelsea’s 4-0 win over Juventus last month. The club initially decided to avoid sending the defender under the knife, hoping to have him back in January. However, it seems the club are not satisfied with the progress in his recovery process.
According to GOAL, Chelsea have made the call that Chilwell needs an operation on his knee. This will sideline the English defender for the rest of the season, leaving Chelsea without one of their key players.
The Blues might decide to sign a wing-back in January to cover up for Chilwell’s absence. Everton’s Lucas Digne might be available on a loan deal as he has fallen out of favour under Rafael Benitez this season.
Another option for Chelsea is to call one of their loaned players back. Emerson Palmieri and Ian Maatsen are spending loan spells at Lyon and Coventry City, respectively. The pair are candidates for potential recalls, but none of them are currently at Chilwell’s level.
If they don’t add a new player to their ranks, Chelsea might have to trust Malang Sarr as a replacement. The player has attracted interest from AC Milan, who are keen to sign him on a loan deal.
Chelsea are in a tight Premier League title race with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City. For now, Marcos Alonso, Saul Niguez and Christian Pulisic can cover up for the left wing-back position. However, they might need more squad depth as the race on top of the table reaches its critical stages.
Following their 3-1 win over Aston Villa on Sunday, Chelsea will host Brighton in their next game on Wednesday.
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