Lavia is still waiting for his Chelsea debut (Picture: Getty)
Chelsea may delay Romeo Lavia’s return from injury until December after his recent injury setback.
Lavia is still to make his debut for the Blues after completing his £58million move from Southampton during the summer transfer window.
The 19-year-old spent his first weeks at the club working on his fitness, getting up to speed under Mauricio Pochettino, but his introduction to the side was delayed in September after suffering an ankle injury in training.
Reports suggested the midfielder was facing six weeks out having suffered some ligament damage. However, the Mail report Lavia is no closer to making his debut and will remain sidelined until the end of November at the earliest.
The Belgian has reportedly been able to remove a protective boot he has worn on his right ankle and begin rehab work in the pool. But it could be some time before he is ready to resume first-team training.
Lavia rejected Liverpool to join Chelsea in the summer (Picture: Getty)
The report adds a November return is viewed as optimistic within the club with Chelsea ready to be cautious over the youngster and hold him back until early December.
Pochettino dismissed the possibility of Lavia being back in action after the current international break with the Blues resuming their Premier League campaign at home to Arsenal on Saturday 21 October.
The Argentine said: ‘I cannot tell you [when he will be back] but he is still not running. After the international break he will not be back.’
A number of Chelsea stars withdrew from international duty during the break from domestic matters.
Cole Palmer will miss England Under-21s European Championship qualifier against Ukraine after picking up a knock in the 9-1 thrashing of Serbia. Armando Broja meanwhile left the Albania squad early to return to Cobham ahead of schedule.
Palmer picked up an injury on England U21 duty (Picture: Getty)
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The club’s other striker Nicolas Jackson also returned from international duty ahead of schedule. The summer signing from Villarreal has undergone a minor wrist surgery having been spotted wearing a split in wins over Fulham and Burnley.
Chelsea face an anxious wait over Axel Disasi. The 25-year-old has been ever-present in Pochettino’s starting XI this season, called into the France squad to replace the injured Dayot Upamecano.
Disasi himself withdrew shortly after however, undergoing a scan which revealed ‘a tear in the quadriceps of the left thigh’, according to a statement released by the French FA.
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