Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has acknowledged that Wesley Fofana has been “fighting with pain” at times during the opening months of the season.
The defender left Leicester City to complete a £70m move to Chelsea back in August 2022, the hope being that he could become a mainstay in the team.
Instead, two serious knee injuries left the Frenchman out of the reckoning at Stamford Bridge and fighting for his career at the top level.
However, in sharp contrast to sitting out the entirety of last season, the 23-year-old has made eight starts in the Premier League since the middle of August.
Fofana would have been an ever-present had he not already collected five yellow cards and needing to serve a suspension, while he also played 57 minutes as a right-back against West Ham United in what was a further test of his recovery.
In Fofana’s last appearance against Newcastle United on Sunday, he fell awkwardly on his knee during a challenge in the first half, initially looking despondent when he received treatment from the medical staff.
Rather than err on the side of caution, Fofana continued and completed the 90 minutes against the odds, particularly when tape was already on his left knee.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Maresca revealed his admiration for his first-choice centre-back, praising him for the mentality that he has shown since his arrival in the summer.
The Italian told reporters: “He had a bad moment in the first half, very bad, but he is better. He was probably playing with pain.
“In one of my last press conferences, I said I really love Wes because it is not easy playing after one year out and come back and be a fighter in the way he is.
“Now he is fighting with pain. When you have that kind of injury, you will probably feel pain for the rest of your career, unfortunately it is like this. But he finished well and he looks okay.”
Maresca has already acknowledged that there are no plans for Fofana to play any more than once per week at least until the start of 2025.
Chelsea are undergoing the same plan with Romeo Lavia, who also barely featured last season due to ankle and thigh injuries.
Therefore, both players will not travel with the rest of the squad for Wednesday’s EFL Cup fourth round tie at Newcastle United, leaving them to focus on the trip to Manchester United in the Premier League at the weekend.
