Cole Palmer injury update provides huge boost for Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca

In a welcome sight for Chelsea fans, Cole Palmer was back in training on Tuesday and is close to a return from injury.

The 23-year-old has been recovering from a groin injury which plagued him early in the season, limiting him to just four appearances so far this campaign.

After limping out of a defeat to Manchester United on September 20, it was decided to give the England international an extended rest and he has not featured since.

Palmer has been closing in on a return but suffered a setback when he suffered a toe injury last week to add to his woes.

The former Manchester City man stubbed his toe on a door at home and fractured it, but he is wearing a protective boot and has returned to training.

While a Champions League clash with Barcelona on Tuesday night will come too soon, Palmer will be hoping his return to Premier League action is now very close.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca told a press conference on Tuesday: ‘Yes, Cole is wearing a [protective] boot. We don’t know when he will be back but for sure it will be soon.

‘He’s already on the pitch, he’s already touching the ball and the feeling is good.

‘At the moment, we are only looking at tomorrow’s game. It’s a Champions League game against Barcelona, that is our focus and then we will look ahead to Arsenal.

‘I don’t think he will be available for these two games, but he is doing well.’

Explaining Palmer’s toe injury last week, Maresca said: ‘He is probably not available for Saturday [at Burnley] for sure, Barcelona for sure, or Arsenal for sure.

‘Unfortunately, he had an accident at home where he hit his toe. It is nothing important, but he won’t be back in the next week. I wake up many times during the night – I hit my head, my legs, my everything – so it can happen.’

His Chelsea teammate Marc Cucurella didn’t sound too sympathetic to Palmer’s plight, somewhat mocking the toe injury on Monday.

‘To be fair, I don’t believe it,’ said the Spaniard. ‘It is true that these things can sometimes happen. I have had this a couple of times but I’m stronger than them, so I don’t feel anything.

‘It’s a big upset for us because he’s getting closer to playing with us, to train with us, and then now he needs to rest. But this is part of life, a part of footballers’ lives, we have personal lives, and we have these kinds of problems, so hopefully he can recover fast.’

Asked what he thinks Palmer was doing to break his toe, Cucurella said: ‘I don’t know. He’s running because I think he lost a FIFA game or something like this, I think!’

After hosting Barcelona on Tuesday, Chelsea welcome Arsenal to Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

If Palmer misses those two matches he will hope to be involved at Leeds on December 3 and at Bournemouth three days later.