Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer will remain out of action for another six weeks, manager Enzo Maresca confirmed on Friday.

Palmer, 23, has been unavailable since limping off in the first half of Chelsea’s 2–1 loss to Manchester United on September 20.

The Italian coach had earlier expressed hope that the England international would return after the October international break, but fresh medical checks have extended his recovery period.

“I was wrong. Unfortunately, he needs to be out for probably six more weeks. So yes, this is the update,” Maresca told reporters.

The Chelsea boss added that the injury does not require surgery, noting that the club is prioritising Palmer’s full recovery before he returns to action.

“We’re just trying to protect Cole as much as possible. The most important thing is that when he comes back, he’s completely ready,” Maresca said.

He admitted, however, that replacing one of his key creative players would be a tough challenge.

“For sure, we need to find a different solution, we need to find different skills, because we don’t have another player like Cole,” he added. “Because Cole is unique.”

Chelsea will face Nottingham Forest on Saturday as they continue to navigate a difficult Premier League campaign without one of their standout performers this season.