Chelsea confirm £75m star’s major injury blow ahead of Newcastle United clash

Chelsea have been dealt a major injury blow ahead of next week’s Premier League Summer Series meeting with Newcastle United after Wesley Fofana underwent surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament.

The former Leicester City defender has suffered a number of injury problems in recent years after sustaining a broken leg during the Foxes’ pre-season friendly against Villarreal in August 2021. He returned to action during the final months of the same season and his form attracted attention from a number of Premier League clubs.

After making a £75million move to Chelsea, the once-capped France international suffered further injury heartache when a serious knee injury sustained in October ruled him out of the World Cup Finals in Qatar and limited him to just 19 starts in all competitions last season.

Fofana was set to travel to the United States as part of the Chelsea squad that will face Newcastle, Brighton and Hove Albion and Fulham as part of the Premier League Summer Series and will also take on Wrexham and Borussia Dortmund.

However, the talented centre-back will now remain at the Blues’ Cobham training centre and begin his rehabilitation after the Blues revealed he had undergone reconstructive surgery on a damaged anterior cruciate ligament.

The Blues confirmed the news in a statement released on their official club website on Tuesday afternoon. It read: “Defender Wesley Fofana has undergone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery. The 22-year-old did not travel to America for the club’s pre-season tour due to specialist medical assessments, which unfortunately confirmed that an operation would be required.

“Wesley will now begin his recovery and work with the club’s medical department at Cobham during his rehabilitation phase.”