Romeo Lavia, Chelsea midfielder suffers major injury setback

Romeo Lavia will miss the rest of the season due to a thigh injury. After joining Chelsea this summer in a £53 million ($67 million) transfer from Southampton, the Belgian midfield player has had an awful first season.

Lavia’s initial outing for the Blues was postponed due to a muscle and ankle injury that kept him out of action until December. Later, on his debut, he was taken to play for the team against Crystal Palace. The 20-year-old suffered a thigh injury against the Eagles.

The Premier League club announced on Wednesday that he will not be able to play for the rest of the season due to a “setback” in his recuperation. Their official statement read: “Midfielder Romeo Lavia is to unfortunately miss the remainder of our 2023-24 campaign following a setback in his recovery. Recent medical assessments have confirmed that Lavia, who sustained a significant thigh injury against Crystal Palace back in December, will not feature again this season.”

The latest injury setback for the Belgium international is a major blow to manager Mauricio Pochettino and his team, who will play Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday. This season that has seen Chelsea struggle to reclaim a spot in the top 10, with the FA Cup being their last chance to win a trophy and qualify for Europe, has put the Argentina manager under intense pressure.