Chelsea have been dealt another injury setback after young midfielder Dario Essugo sustained a thigh problem while on duty with Portugal’s Under-21s. The 19-year-old, signed from Sporting CP in June for £18.5 million, was excused from training and later ruled unavailable by the Portuguese FA following medical assessment.
Essugo, who has so far only featured as a substitute at the Club World Cup, had been pushing for more minutes in Mauricio Pochettino’s side this season. With Chelsea already without key players including Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill, the teenager was expected to provide depth in midfield, particularly as cover for Moises Caicedo. His setback now leaves the Blues sweating on his availability ahead of their Premier League clash with Brentford after the international break.
In a statement, the Portuguese FA confirmed the nature of the injury: “The Chelsea midfielder was excused from training due to a muscle problem in his right thigh, which he suffered after training. The athlete was evaluated by the Portuguese Football Federation’s Health and Performance Department and was declared unavailable.” Chelsea will now monitor Essugo closely, with hopes he can return swiftly to ease their mounting injury crisis.