Chelsea have been handed a blow after it emerged that Omari Kellyman faces a period on the sidelines courtesy of a hamstring injury.
During the summer transfer window, the forward surprisingly left Aston Villa for Stamford Bridge in a £19m deal to help both clubs comply with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability regulations.
The initial expectation had been that Kellyman would spend time with the first team in pre-season before being loaned out to an EFL club.
However, the 18-year-old did not travel to the United States and instead worked to overcome an issue with his hamstring.
Kellyman subsequently recovered to make two appearances for Chelsea's Under-21s in August, accumulating 104 minutes of action against Tottenham Hotspur and Everton respectively.
A third outing did not follow against Middlesbrough on Sunday, however, and it has since been revealed that the teenager will spend time out of action.
How long will Kellyman miss?
While he has not revealed an expected timeframe, Fabrizio Romano has alleged that Kellyman will be absent for at least two months.
There had been late talk on deadline day that Kellyman could return to the West Midlands to link up with League One outfit Birmingham City on loan.
Instead, he will now look to work his way back to full fitness before January ahead of, presumably, signing for an EFL side on a temporary basis.
Just a small blip?
With Kellyman only turning 19 years of age later this month, he was never going to earn regular minutes in the first team during the first half of the campaign.
Across all levels, including Premier League 2, the top flight and Europa Conference League, Kellyman made 20 appearances in 2023-24.
Although the England Under-19 international will be frustrated in the short term, taking an enforced break at this stage of his career may prove to be a blessing in disguise.
Co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have invested heavily in his ability, yet they will anticipate that he can soon get back on track from November onwards.
