Cole Palmer Injury: Progress, Potential Return Date for Chelsea Star

Cole Palmer has struggled with injuries at the start of the 2025–26 season.

Cole Palmer is currently in the treatment room. / Robin Jones/Getty Images

Chelsea have been over-reliant on the brilliance of Cole Palmer across the past two seasons, but have had to cope without their talisman at the start of the 2025–26 season.

The 23-year-old rediscovered his mojo at the FIFA Club World Cup after a tame second half of the 2024–25 season, with expectations high for the Englishman heading into the current campaign.

However, fitness setbacks have limited his involvement for Chelsea early in the term, with a persistent groin problem sidelining him for much of the campaign to date.

Here’s the latest injury news regarding Palmer.

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When Will Cole Palmer Return From Injury?

Palmer has played just four times this season. / Marc Atkins/Getty Images

Palmer was available for Chelsea‘s opening league match of the season but missed subsequent victories over West Ham United and Fulham as he recovered from a groin problem. The Englishman was omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s squad over the September international break, but returned afterwards for the Blues.

Palmer managed three consecutive outings against Brentford, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, but suffered a recurrence of his groin injury in the latter. He lasted just 21 minutes before being replaced in Chelsea’s ten-man defeat.

The attacking midfielder was then ruled out by his manager until after the October international period, with Enzo Maresca issuing caution over Palmer’s return.

“We decided to protect a little bit Cole in terms of him not getting a worse injury,” said Maresca in September. “So we decided to rest him for the next two, three weeks, probably until [the October] international break, just to see if with that rest he can be able to recover 100 per cent and to be completely fit after the international break.”

Palmer was absent for wins over Lincoln City, Benfica and Liverpool, as well as for the defeat at home to Brighton & Hove Albion, but it appears likely that he will be on the sidelines for even longer than expected.

Recent reports have revealed that Chelsea are likely to wait until November to reintegrate Palmer into the first-team picture, a decision that was made in a club meeting. This will give him a greater chance of staying fit once returning to the fold, but does impact the Blues in the short-term.

If Palmer doesn’t return until November, he will miss Premier League matches with Nottingham Forest (A) and Sunderland (H), a Champions League encounter with Ajax (H) and the Carabao Cup fourth round match with Wolverhampton Wanderers (A).

If all goes to plan, he will return for the London derby with Tottenham Hotspur (A) on Nov. 1.

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