Chelsea have been handed a positive update on the fitness of defender Wesley Fofana at the start of the international break.
The 23-year-old has endured an injury-plagued spell at Stamford Bridge since making the switch from Leicester City for £70m during the summer transfer window of 2022.
Fofana has suffered two seperate knee injuries, with a serious cruciate ligament injury keeping the promising defender out of action for the entirety of the 2023-24 term.
Returning to fitness over the summer, the centre-back has been a mainstay in Enzo Maresca's Chelsea side, starting all seven Premier League matches.
Fofana helped the Blues to secure a share of the spoils with Nottingham Forest in West London on Sunday afternoon, when Noni Madueke netted a second-half equaliser.
© Imago
"Did not reveal anything" - Chelsea receive Fofana update
Heading into this month's international break, there were concerns that Fofana had been battling on with a niggling shin issue during the early stages of the season.
As a result, the 23-year-old's availability for France's UEFA Nations League fixtures against Belgium and Israel over the next week was thrown into doubt.
However, according to journalist Fabrice Hawkins, a scan on Fofana's shin have revealed no issues, stating that: "Wesley Fofana will be able to stay with the French team. The tests carried out yesterday (Monday) evening did not reveal anything worrying."
Positive news surrounding a potential injury for the centre-back will come as a nice change for Chelsea fans, who have only seen the youngster feature on 27 occasions for the club in two years.
Despite his availability, it is unlikely that Fofana will start ahead of either William Saliba or Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate when Les Bleus face Israel on Thursday night.
© Imago
Chelsea are still without Fofana against Liverpool
With worries over a shin injury squashed for now, Fofana will be focusing on the international scene with France in the knowledge that he is unable to feature for Chelsea on October 20.
Receiving a caution during the ill-tempered clash with Nottingham Forest, the Frenchman picked up his fifth yellow card of the 2024-25 campaign.
Consequently, Fofana will serve a one-match suspension in the Premier League, meaning that he will miss the high-profile clash with Arne Slot's Liverpool at Anfield after the international pause.
As a result, Blues head coach Maresca will need to find a new partner for Levi Colwill at centre-back, with Tosin Adarabioyo and Axel Disasi both candidates for the role.
Carter White
