Sad news! Chelsea confirm £53m Chelsea star is out of the season

Romeo Lavia will miss the remainder of the 2023/24 season, Chelsea have confirmed.

The Belgium international, who signed from Southampton last summer, has featured just once for the Blues since arriving. Lavia played just 40 minutes on the night, in the win against Crystal Palace in December, but picked up an injury at Stamford Bridge. Now, he has suffered another setback.

“Midfielder Romeo Lavia is to unfortunately miss the remainder of our 2023-24 campaign following a setback in his recovery,” a statement from the club read. “Recent medical assessments have confirmed that Lavia, who sustained a significant thigh injury against Crystal Palace back in December, will not feature again this season.”

Lavia signed from Southampton last August for £58million but missed the first four months of the season with an ankle injury. He made his long-awaited Chelsea debut against Palace just after Christmas but Mauricio Pochettino confirmed after the game that he was struggling towards the end of the match with a problem.

The 20-year-old Belgian had been doing some individual work at Cobham in his rehabilitation programme but the latest setback means we will not see him again this season. It is a huge blow for the Blues, who have not been able to call on the defensive midfielder virtually all season-long after he snubbed Liverpool to move to Stamford Bridge.

“Three factors determined my decision [to join Chelsea over Liverpool],” Lavia said in an interview after he signed. “The project and ambitions of the club were key factors in me choosing Chelsea, but also the history behind the club.

“It’s really exciting to be a part of this football club and to write some history. I’m really happy and proud.

“It’s a privilege to be able to put on this shirt. Most of the players we’ve signed are players I’ve played against, and thought ‘oooof, these players are good’, so to be able to work with them is a great feeling.

“They are young players and good players, so it will be good to make each other better. That’s the only way to succeed.”