Romeo Lavia has been ruled out for the rest of the English Premier League (EPL) season following a setback in his recovery from injury, leaving him with just 32 minutes of playing time for the club throughout the entire campaign.
Lavia’s stint has been marred by ongoing injury woes, despite Chelsea’s hefty £53 million investment to secure the services of the 20-year-old midfielder from Southampton last summer.
Initially sidelined by an ankle injury, Romeo Lavia endured a prolonged absence before making his Chelsea debut as a 58th minute substitute in December, in the victory against Crystal Palace. However, his promising start was cut short as he sustained a significant thigh injury during the match.
Since then, Lavia has been sidelined, and Chelsea confirmed on Wednesday that he will miss the remainder of the season due to the setback in his recovery.
Lavia’s name adds to the lengthy roster of Chelsea players plagued by injuries this season, including Wesley Fofana, Reece James, Christopher Nkunku, Lesly Ugochukwu, Levi Colwill, Carney Chukwuemeka, and Ben Chilwell, though the latter two have recently returned to action.
In a statement, Chelsea expressed regret over Lavia’s extended absence, noting his thigh injury sustained against Crystal Palace as the reason for his premature end to the campaign.
This development brings further scrutiny to Chelsea’s medical department, particularly following the resignation of long-serving medical director Dimitrios Kalogiannidis earlier in the year.
Chelsea has since initiated the search for a new head of performance medicine, with the job listing emphasising the importance of a collaborative and professional approach to injury management and player rehabilitation.
The advertisement shows Chelsea’s commitment to revolutionising football medicine and performance sciences, aiming to create an integrated and supportive environment for players’ well-being and readiness to compete.
Despite the setback, Chelsea says it remains determined to enhance its medical and performance support structures, seeking innovative approaches to ensure the health and fitness of its players.