Huge boost for Chelsea! Wesley Fofana 'convinced' he will return from hamstring problem in weeks following fears of season-ending injury

Fofana supposedly hopes to be back by the end of next month, according to L'Equipe. It remains uncertain how long he will be out for, with a lot depending on whether the defender requires surgery or not, but he is said to be optimistic. Fofana had previously been expected to miss the rest of the season and his boss Enzo Maresca had suggested that would be the case.

Speaking after their draw with Crystal Palace, Maresca hinted that the club would need to dip into the transfer market to replace Fofana. He said: "Even if we don't decide to buy players or sell players because Josh [Acheampong] has shown he is good. We already knew Josh was good enough. Probably with Wes and Benoit [Badiashile] injuries, we will see if something is going to happen."

He had previously said: "Unfortunately, Wes will be out for a very long time. He could be out for the season. We don’t know exactly if it will be for the entire season, he could be out for part of the season."

Fofana's career has suffered as a result of injuries. At Chelsea, the unlucky defender missed almost a year after suffering a rupture to his anterior cruciate ligament. He has also suffered various knee issues before this hamstring injury. At his previous club Leicester, he broke his fibula and was ruled out for much of a year too.

Chelsea will host lowly Morecambe in the FA Cup next weekend and will be hoping for a morale-boosting win. The Shrimps sit 23rd in League Two, 87 places below the Blues in fourth in the Premier League. Victory should be straightforward for Maresca's men, even with a rotated squad.