Chelsea attacking midfielder Cole Palmer could be sidelined for up to 6 weeks with a groin injury, according to reports.

Writing on his Substack, journalist Simon Phillips confirmed that the 23-year-old picked up a fresh injury against Bayern Munich, but the Blues still opted to start him versus Manchester United:

“Sources have heard that Palmer has a new tear in the same groin and we are looking at around 3-6 weeks out. This is as a result of further aggravation to the groin in the Bayern game.”

It means that Palmer could be sidelined until the start of November if the 6-week estimate is accurate.

How many matches could Palmer miss?

Based on the information provided, the England international is in danger of being sidelined for up to 8 games.

Palmer could potentially miss the Carabao Cup tie against Lincoln City (this evening), Brighton (in the Premier League on Saturday), Benfica (in the Champions League next Tuesday), Liverpool (in the Premier League at home on Saturday 4th October), Nottingham Forest (away on Saturday 18th October), Ajax (in the Champions League on Wednesday 22nd October), Sunderland (in the Premier League at home on Saturday 25th October) and Tottenham (away on Saturday 1st November).

When could the Chelsea star make his comeback?

Of course, there is a chance that Palmer could be sidelined for a shorter period if his recovery goes better than expected, but at the moment, it looks like the Champions League away fixture against Qarabag FK or the Premier League home game versus Wolves in November are the two likeliest dates for the player to return to action.

There are also rumours that the midfielder may require surgery if more conservative treatment does not work, but at this time, the plan is for him to make his comeback before the November international break.

Read more about the Chelsea First Team Squad for 2025/26 here