Christopher Nkunku injury update: How long Chelsea will be without £52m man following latest fitness setback

The 26-year-old was absent from the Blues' 4-0 win over Preston in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, with manager Mauricio Pochettino saying he had suffered a fresh injury. Now, according to reports, the French international will be out for approximately three weeks with this hip problem.

Nkunku has only played four times for Chesea since his £52 million ($66m) summer move from RB Leipzig. He suffered a knee injury in pre-season and only returned to action last month, but now he is set for another spell on the sidelines. The Blues will hope the former Paris Saint-Germain man is back playing soon.

Nkunku is not the only Chelsea player to suffer some bad injury luck this season. Fellow summer recruit Romeo Lavia spent four months out with an ankle issue before making his Blues debut in December. But the £58 million ($73.7m) signing picked up another problem late last month in a cameo against Crystal Palace.

Chelsea are back in action on Tuesday away to Middlesbrough in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, before taking on Fulham at home in the Premier League four days later. It remains to be seen when Nkunku will return for the west London outfit.