Chelsea injury news: Marco Palestra reveals when he can make comeback

By Saikat Mandal | 03 Sep 2026 20:00

Palestra reveals when he can make comeback from injury for Chelsea

Chelsea defender Marco Palestra is yet to make his Premier League debut, with the summer signing currently sidelined by injury.

The Blues signed Palestra from Atalanta for a fee of around £47m, including add-ons, during the summer transfer window.

The 21-year-old became Xabi Alonso's first signing at Chelsea and has committed his future to the club on a six-year contract.

There was a point when it appeared Inter Milan could win the race for his signature, but Chelsea moved quickly to secure his services.

Palestra featured regularly during pre-season but has since been ruled out with an injury, forcing him to miss the opening two Premier League matches.

Chelsea injury news: When can Marco Palestra return?

Palestra was absent from Chelsea training on Thursday and is unlikely to feature in the Blues' crucial weekend fixture against Arsenal.

The defender recently revealed that he is feeling much better from a fitness perspective, although he stopped short of putting a specific timeframe on his return.

"I’m fine, it’s still a few days away, but I feel much better," Palestra said in an interview, as quoted by Tuttomercato.

"From day one, Coach Xabi Alonso and my teammates have made me feel great. A lot has changed, but I like everything here. Me being a starter? In a team like this, there are no setbacks."

Who else could miss Chelsea's clash against Arsenal?

Alonso is also currently without the services of Moises Caicedo, who has no set return date as he continues to build up his fitness.

The Blues are also missing summer signing Jordan Henderson, who suffered a wrist injury while on international duty with England during the 2026 World Cup.

Chelsea sold Enzo Fernandez on transfer deadline day for a reported £125m and wanted to bring in Lamine Camara as his replacement.

Although a deal had been agreed with AS Monaco, the French club pulled out at the final moment, leaving Chelsea furious over how the transfer negotiations were handled.