More bad news for Chelsea! £58m signing Romeo Lavia facing further six weeks out with ankle injury having not even made Blues debut

The highly-rated Belgian midfielder linked up with the Blues when completing a big-money summer transfer from Southampton. The 19-year-old is yet to figure for his new club, however, after becoming one of several senior stars to be forced onto the treatment table at Stamford Bridge.

Lavia is nursing an ankle problem, and the Daily Mail claims that he could be sidelined for another six weeks. Scans are said to have shown ligament damage for the teenager, who picked up the injury in training.

If early reports on his fitness prove to be correct, then Lavia could be out of action until the end of October. Such an absence would keep him out of Mauricio Pochettino’s plans and prevent him making his Chelsea bow until after the next international break.

Chelsea have five games to take in before domestic action shuts down again – against Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Fulham and Burnley in the Premier League and Brighton in the third round of the Carabao Cup. They will return to action after the next break against Arsenal on October 21, before then playing host to west London neighbours Brentford a week later.