Thomas Tuchel issues worrying N’Golo Kante injury update and reveals Jorginho concern

With injuries piling at Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel claims he has “no idea” when N’Golo Kante will be fit again.

The France international was absent from Saturday’s 3-2 loss to West Ham United, in which the Blues also suffered injuries to Kai Havertz and Marcos Alonso.

Kante has missed Chelsea’s last three games due to a knee injury, and his absence was felt in east London as Thomas Tuchel’s team suffered their second league loss of the season.

Mateo Kovacic is also out, and while Jorginho returned to the side on Saturday, the Italy international is still suffering from a hip condition, leaving Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho with a significant midfield dilemma.

‘I honestly have no clue when he will be back, and we have been without not only N’Golo but also Mateo Kovacic for the past five or six weeks,’ Tuchel said after the game.

‘You can see Jorgi has been playing with hip pain for many matchdays. That is the state of affairs.’

When asked when Kante will be available again, Tuchel refused to give a specific date or match, insisting that the Frenchman will not be pushed back.

‘What I think is uninteresting.’ When he returns, he plays. He still has a long way to go; if I claim now that he plays at Zenit but he doesn’t, it won’t help.

‘I look after the injured players.’ N’Golo hasn’t played since joining Juventus.’