Lavia and Fofana to miss Chelsea vs Brentford clash, Blues must cut their losses this summer | OneFootball

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that midfielder Romeo Lavia and defender Wesley Fofana will miss the trip to Brentford on Sunday.

The pair missed their pulsating 1-0 win over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and remain on the treatment table for the foreseeable future.

Maresca could not give a timeline for their return but highlighted that Lavia could be back before Fofana.

The Italian tactician has had to navigate injuries to key players this year. Fofana and Lavia have missed a chunk of the season.

The same goes for Reece James. Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke. Marc Guiu has also spent significant time sidelined.

After missing most of last season, Fofana has played only 14 out of 30 Premier League games this term. In almost three years at the club, he has made just 34 appearances.

Lavia has also been a firm fixture on the Chelsea injury list since joining the club from Southampton for £58 million at the beginning of last season.

The Belgian has played only 596 minutes this season, a massive improvement on his 32-minute cameo in 2023/24.

Chelsea should cut their losses with Fofana and Lavia this summer

Given their persistent injury woes and limited contributions, Chelsea must cut their losses on Fofana and Lavia this summer.

Cobham Academy graduate Trevoh Chalobah has proven to be a capable deputy for Fofana. The Frenchman should be on the chopping block, not Chalobah.

Andrey Santos, Dario Essugo and Lesley Ugochukwu are eager to step up and take the mantle from Lavia.

Retaining perpetually unavailable players hinders squad development and consumes valuable resources. Chelsea need players ready to perform every week.