Chelsea won’t recall Andrey Santos despite worrying news about £50m playmaker’s ongoing problem | OneFootball

Today’s press conference saw manager Enzo Maresca rule out Romeo Lavia for our Boxing Day game against Fulham.

After missing the whole of last season, the Belgian was supposed to come into this campaign ready for action. Instead, it’s been a very stop-start spell of small issues stopping him making a run.

Lavia had missed 47 games at Chelsea before this most recent issue according to TransferMarkt. So it will be at least 50 by the time he’s back. That’s not even including the games – like against both Tottenham and Arsenal in recent months – where he’s had to be taken off early because of an injury.

What’s really aggravating about this all is that Lavia looks great when he’s on the pitch, providing some really good balance in midfield and a profile of player which otherwise we lack in the squad. Having him fit and firing would really improve this team.

Lavia worries spark Santos speculation

Romeo Lavia lies stricken after a blow to the head.

There is already some speculation that Chelsea will consider recalling Andrey Santos from Strasbourg, where he’s having an excellent loan.

The club will not do that for a few of reasons – firstly Lavia is due back very soon anyway and should get at least one more run at getting fit and playing consistently. Secondly, it would be a shame to spoil a really impressive and important run for Santos in Ligue 1. Thirdly, given the Alsatians are in a relegation battle and we share an owner, it would be crazy to rip the heart out of their team mid-season.

But of course it’s worrying that this is even something some fans are speculating about.

Let’s hope that this proves to be the last of Lavia’s issues, and that he can spend the rest of this season stringing games together and building up the strength and fitness required to play consistently in the Premier League for us for years to come. If things continue from now until May as they have been in the first 18 months of his Chelsea career, we’ll start to get really worried.