Delap to resume Chelsea training in November after hamstring injury

Chelsea striker Liam Delap is expected to resume first team training in November after suffering a hamstring injury in the club's 2-0 win over Fulham on August 30, according to reports, with medical staff saying he will not require surgery and his overall layoff is likely to be about 10 weeks. The 22-year-old, who was forced off in the first half, is therefore likely to miss the club's early Champions League fixtures and a string of high-profile Premier League matches.

Head coach Enzo Maresca initially feared Delap could be sidelined for six to eight weeks following the injury, but subsequent assessments extended that timeframe. Club medical personnel have indicated surgery is unnecessary, allowing Delap to concentrate on rehabilitation with a view to returning to match fitness in time for the congested festive period.

Delap's absence prompted immediate squad adjustments. Chelsea recalled young striker Marc Guiu from a season-long loan at Sunderland to bolster options up front. The club also briefly put the brakes on a proposed loan move for Nicolas Jackson to Bayern Munich before completing that transfer on deadline day, in a deal that includes a conditional obligation to make...