Chelsea have a fresh injury concern after defender Axel Disasi withdrew from international duty due to a “tear in his quad”.
Disasi was only drafted into the France squad on Monday but pulled out hours later and Chelsea now face an anxious wait to learn the full extent of his problem.
The £38.8million summer signing has been managing a thigh issue and may have aggravated the problem in Saturday’s 4-1 comeback win against Burnley.
He completed the full 90 minutes at Turf Moor but subsequent scans at Chelsea showed “a tear in the quadriceps of the left thigh”, according to the French Football Federation (FFF).
Disasi, who has worn bandaging on his left leg in recent weeks, will undergo further medical tests in the coming days and is a major doubt for the visit of joint-Premier League leaders Arsenal to Stamford Bridge next Saturday.
His injury is a worry for Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino amid plenty of other lingering fitness concerns at Stamford Bridge.
Disasi has played every minute for Chelsea in their 10 games in all competitions so far this season, forming a centre-back partnership with Thiago Silva.
Chelsea are though set to be boosted by the return of captain Reece James against Arsenal. The right-back has recovered from a hamstring injury that has kept him out since the opening weekend of the season and his one-match FA suspension for confronting an official in the tunnel after the home defeat by Aston Villa last month.
Malo Gusto, who is available to face Arsenal after a three-game ban, has been called up to the France squad for the first time and could make his debut in upcoming games against the Netherlands and Scotland.
Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah are in partial team training with Chelsea and aim to return after the international break, but Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia, Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana and Marcus Bettinelli are all still out.
