Chelsea has confirmed that 22-year-old defender Wesley Fofana will face an extended period on the sidelines due to a broken ACL. The French national was unable to travel to America with the club for their pre-season tour as he needed specialist medical assessments, which unfortunately confirmed the need for an operation. Fofana will now undergo anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery to address his injury.
Wesley Fofana joined Chelsea in the summer of 2022 for a deal worth £70 million with an additional £5 million in fees. Before moving to West London, Fofana impressed during his time at Leicester City, making 50 appearances in two seasons and winning the FA Cup. Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly described him as ‘a hugely promising defender’ and ‘one of Europe’s most exciting talents’. However, injuries have plagued him since his signing, causing him to miss 20 games due to knee injuries.
Upon his arrival, many fans and pundits questioned the decision to bring in the wonderkid due to his recurring injury woes. During his final season with Leicester, the young defender missed a total of 223 days due to a fibula fracture. Following this, repeated knee injuries struck the Frenchman during last season with Chelsea, and now he has suffered a cruciate ligament rupture, which could keep him out for an extended period.
This unfortunate news means Chelsea will have to consider other options for central defenders, either in the market or within their current squad. Benoit Badiashile and Levi Colwill are front-running options that manager Mauricio Pochettino will likely turn to in place of the injured 22-year-old. Despite rumors of Levi Colwill’s potential exit from Chelsea, the club is determined to keep him and will offer a new deal to the Englishman. Fofana’s injury now makes Colwill’s position at the club even more significant, as Chelsea will rely on him in the upcoming season.
Injuries have cut short many footballing careers at a young age, but hopefully, Wesley Fofana can overcome these recent setbacks and grow stronger for his return to the beautiful game. A very talented player with a good understanding of the game, through hard work and determination, he is sure to be back playing in front of the Chelsea fans at Stamford Bridge again.