Chelsea forward Cole Palmer will be ruled out for “six more weeks” with a groin injury, manager Enzo Maresca said on Friday.

Maresca had previously said that Palmer would likely return after this month’s international break as he had avoided the need to undergo surgery.

“I was wrong, unfortunately, he needs to be out for six more weeks,” Maresca said. “So, yes, this is the update.”

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Palmer went off after just 21 minutes in Chelsea’s loss at Manchester United last month and has not played since in an injury-plagued season that has seen him make just two starts in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Moisés Caicedo, Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernández are all injury doubts to face Nottingham Forest when the Premier League returns this weekend. However, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana and Andrey Santos are set to return