Moises Caicedo was replaced by Valentin Barco just 14 minutes after being substituted on in Chelsea's 4-3 win over Brighton on Sunday afternoon.
The Ecuadorian missed his side's 2026/27 Premier League opener against Fulham after sustaining a knock in training, and he was also absent when Chelsea welcomed Luton Town to Stamford Bridge in the EFL Cup just three days later.
He returned to Xabi Alonso's squad against former club Brighton on Sunday afternoon, but his participation was cut short just 14 minutes after entering the pitch in the second half.
We've taken a look at when Caicedo could return to first-team action for Chelsea.
When is Moises Caicedo expected to return from injury?
While Chelsea are yet to reveal the extent of Caicedo's injury, Alonso voiced optimism that the setback isn't too serious in his post-match interview after the Brighton encounter.
He said: “Hopefully it wasn’t new, and hopefully it wasn’t more than last time.
“He was cautious to stop and say that he wasn’t feeling the best. We will assess it during the week.”
While there's hope that Caicedo was replaced as a precaution, fans have expressed concern that the midfielder was visibly upset when he made his way off the pitch on Sunday.
Chelsea will make the short trip to North London to face reigning Premier League champions Arsenal in gameweek 3, and while Alonso would undoubtedly love to have Caicedo at his disposal, he may opt against including the 24-year-old to avoid any further setbacks.
Caicedo's potential exclusion at the Emirates could leave Chelsea notably short in midfield. Jordan Henderson remains sidelined with a wrist injury, while Enzo Fernandez is pushing for a late move to Manchester City.
Reece James and Malo Gusto -- who are both traditional right-backs -- have plied their trade in the engine room in the early stages of the campaign, and one of the two could be tasked with partnering Romeo Lavia in midfield against Arsenal in the event that Caicedo fails to return to fitness in time.
