Enzo Maresca has provided a major Chelsea injury updates on Wesley Fofana and Reece James before the Premier League clash against Crystal Palace. The Blues have lost their last two games with defensive absentees impacting them in both of those defeats to Fulham and Ipswich, respectively.

While James has featured in the last few matchday squads, he is yet to feature since suffering a new injury in late 2024. That could change at Selhurst Park this weekend, however, with Maresca issuing a very positive update - but it was something he could not do on Fofana or Badiashile.

"Reece is back from last game. Romeo [Lavia] is very close, he has started to work with us. For the rest, not any updates. Kiernan [Dewsbury-Hall] is still out. Unfortunately Wes [Fofana] will be out for a very long time and Benoit [Badiashile] will be out for at least until February," he admitted in a press conference.

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"He [James] is back. In the last game, he was with us in the squad but the plan was not to give him minutes. Tomorrow we can give him minutes. Hopefully he can get minutes very soon." Minutes for Fofana will be a long way off, though, with Maresca revealing he may not play again in the next five months.

"Unfortunately he [Fofana] could be out for the season," Maresca added. "We don't know exactly but he could be out for part of the season. Every time you ask me about Wes, I said many times I am in love with Wes. "No, not at the moment [for surgery]. For sure not Benoit and Wes not at the moment."

On the initial update being that he would likely only miss a few weeks," Maresca said: "It was the first update and the first information we had but having a test, we realised it was worst than what we thought at the beginning.

"It is hamstring and unfortunately, we are going to lose him for a while."