Ruben Loftus-Cheek could be sidelined for as long as a year, according to reports.
The Sun say Chelsea fear the England midfielder suffered a ruptured Achilles during the friendly against New England Revolution and faces a long spell on the sidelines.
The injury is a massive blow for the player and for Chelsea – coming soon after Callum Hudson-Odoi suffered a ruptured Achilles.
If Loftus-Cheek has suffered the same injury, he faces at least six months out but it could be significantly longer if the damage is greater than in Hudson-Odoi’s case.
The timing could hardly be worse for Loftus-Cheek, who has struggled to establish himself as a regular first-team player at Chelsea – partly because he has been dogged by a persistent back problem – but has recently enjoyed a run in the side.
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He has been discussing a new contract and has clearly been much happier at Stamford Bridge, having previously indicated that he might need to leave in order to get more game time.
Speaking at a press conference earlier this month, he said: “This is the most I’ve played, so it’s looking good for me. There’s no reason why I should be thinking about leaving Chelsea.
“I’m feeling really good now – the best I’ve felt. I haven’t felt a twinge in my back for weeks now, so it’s looking really good.”