Chelsea manager Graham Potter has conceded that goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga will be absent until after the World Cup with a foot injury.
The Spaniard had been out in the cold at Stamford Bridge before managing to become Potter's first-choice goalkeeper, demoting Edouard Mendy down to the bench.
Kepa has put in a string of impressive performances for Chelsea in the current season, but he came off with a foot injury in the 4-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.
The world's most expensive goalkeeper was subsequently absent from the midweek Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb, with Mendy returning in between the sticks.
Delivering a team news update to the media ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash with Arsenal, Potter admitted that Kepa would not be available until Chelsea return to action on Boxing Day.
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"Kepa, no. It's his plantar fascia, the bottom of his foot. I don't think he'll play before the World Cup," Potter told reporters at his pre-game press conference.
As a result, the former Athletic Bilbao man will not be available for Sunday's clash with Arsenal and will also miss meetings with Manchester City and Newcastle United in the EFL Cup and Premier League before the World Cup break.
Kepa remained second choice under Thomas Tuchel at the start of the season, but he has since made six successive starts in the Premier League, keeping three clean sheets, as well as featuring in all five Champions League games before his injury.
The 28-year-old now has 52 shutouts to boast from 135 appearances for Chelsea since his world-record £72m move to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2018.
Kepa's injury could also impact his chances of a World Cup call-up for Spain, but the 11-cap senior international was not expected to earn a place in Luis Enrique's squad for the upcoming tournament.
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Unai Simon, Robert Sanchez and David Raya have emerged as Enrique's three main shot-stoppers in recent months, and Kepa has not earned a call-up since November 2020.
The goalkeeper is one of several injury concerns for Chelsea ahead of the visit of Arsenal, as N'Golo Kante, Ben Chilwell, Reece James, Wesley Fofana and Carney Chukwuemeka are also sidelined.
Chilwell sustained a serious hamstring injury in the midweek win over Dinamo Zagreb, and Chelsea have now confirmed that the issue is serious enough to rule him out of the World Cup.
On a brighter note, Mateo Kovacic should be able to return after missing out in the Champions League as a precaution, while James is reportedly still confident of recovering in time to make himself available for the World Cup.
Chelsea occupy sixth place in the Premier League table at present, five spots and 10 points worse off than league leaders Arsenal ahead of Sunday's London derby.
Ben Knapton
