Chelsea Striker Delap Out Three Months Amid Injury Crisis

Chelsea striker Liam Delap will be sidelined for 10 to 12 weeks due to a hamstring injury sustained before the international break, significantly impacting the club's attacking options. The £30 million summer signing from Ipswich Town has been unavailable since being replaced early during a win over Fulham, with manager Enzo Maresca confirming his absence could last until December. Chelsea's striker crisis deepened after Nicolas Jackson was loaned to Bayern Munich, leaving Joao Pedro as the only senior center forward, alongside recalled Marc Guiu and Tyrique George, the latter of whom had a failed transfer to Fulham. Meanwhile, attacking midfielder Cole Palmer is recovering from a groin injury and has resumed partial training, with his availability for the upcoming Brentford match still uncertain. Chelsea also faces 74 charges from the Football Association over alleged breaches of regulations concerning agents and third-party investments, but Maresca emphasized that the situation has not affected the players' focus. New signing Alejandro Garnacho is working on regaining match fitness and may feature on the bench soon.