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Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has returned to London after suffering a thigh injury whilst training on international duty with Senegal, the national team have confirmed.
Chelsea completed the £22 million deal to sign Mendy from Rennes at the end of September. He has since made two appearances against Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup and Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
However, he could now be set for a spell on the sidelines. The Senegalese Football Federation announced on Friday night that Mendy had injured his right thigh, which was followed by a medical examination at the hospital in Rabat.
Before wishing him a speedy recovery, they have confirmed that the 28-year-old has returned to Chelsea, where he will undergo further examinations.
Edouard Mendy could miss Chelsea's upcoming fixtures
Mendy has started life at Chelsea brilliantly. He made a series of saves but ended up on the losing side against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup, before keeping a clean sheet during his Premier League bow in the 4-0 triumph over Palace at Stamford Bridge.
His upcoming absence is a serious cause for concern, especially with fixtures piling up. Chelsea have five fixtures left to play in October: Southampton (H), Sevilla (H), Manchester United (H), Krasnodar (A) and Burnley (A).
Frank Lampard won't want to turn towards £71 million flop Kepa Arrizabalaga again, which could prompt him to offer 39-year-old Willy Caballero some more game time.
The veteran goalkeeper stepped in for the dropped Kepa in September's 3-3 draw at West Bromwich Albion. However, the Spaniard has been No. 2 to Mendy on the bench for the past two games.
Perhaps Mendy's untimely injury is a blessing for Kepa, who may now have one last chance to rescue his Chelsea career. At the moment, the only direction he seems to be going is out the exit door.
The Blues will be keen to avoid making a substantial loss - although that's a seemingly impossible task - but time is certainly running out, as are his opportunities.
