Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana has strongly rejected suggestions from manager Enzo Maresca that his season could be over due to injury.
Fofana, who had a challenging debut season with knee and ACL injuries, worked hard to return to full fitness in time for this season. However, after a hamstring injury sidelined him since early December, Maresca expressed fears that Fofana could be out for the rest of the season.
Maresca had said, “Unfortunately, he could be out for the season. We don’t know exactly but he could be out for part of the season. Every time you ask me about Wes, I said many times I am in love with Wes.” He added, “It was the first update and the first information we had but having a test, we realised it was worse than what we thought at the beginning. It is hamstring and unfortunately, we are going to lose him for a while.”
Contrary to Maresca’s concerns, Fofana has denied being ruled out for the season. In a message to a fan account, Fofana clarified, “It’s not true! I’m not out for the rest of the season, I don’t know why he said that. I will be back in 4-6 weeks.”
Fofana has been a key player for Chelsea this season, with the team recording three clean sheets in the 12 games he played. However, since his absence, Chelsea has struggled, managing only one clean sheet in the eight games without him.
Despite the ongoing uncertainty around his recovery, Fofana remains hopeful of a return to action well before the season’s end.
Meanwhile, Maresca continues to rely on other players, such as 18-year-old Josh Acheampong, who impressed on his Premier League debut in the recent 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace. Maresca praised the young defender, saying, “Josh was our best player, because of his age, because it was his first game… he showed that he is ready.”
