Insider: Armando Broja could return within months after Chelsea update
Armando Broja could return to play for Chelsea within 100 days but it is likely he will target the beginning of the 2023-24 season for a realistic return.
That is the view of medical expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in injury and data analysis, speaking exclusively to Football Insider.
Chelsea confirmed earlier this week (14 December) that Broja had suffered an ACL injury and would require surgery.
It is expected that the 21-year-old will spend the rest of the campaign on the sidelines.
“I’m always loathed to categorically state whether a player will be out for the remainder of the season or returning for the back end of the campaign,” Dinnery told Football Insider‘s Connor Whitley.
“Certainly, from what we know, we’re talking about a lengthy recovery here.
“The reason I’m loathed to say one way or the other is that we do have exceptions to the rule as we always do.
“We’ve seen successful returns to play in around 100 days. Those players returning in that four to six month period are very much the rarity.
“Research will say that returning before that nine-month period means the risk of reoccurrence are such that players are at great risk.
“Although Chelsea aren’t blessed with a lot of attacking options, they’ll certainly consider his long-term career when managing that return to play.
“We saw that with Ben Chilwell in recent times and he was probably nowhere near those pre-injury levels and then he picked up that latest hamstring problem.
“Realistically, Armando Broja will be looking at the beginning of the 2023-24 season as a potential return but there will be no definitive answer on that, it will be a guide.”
In other news, a finance guru has claimed Chelsea are “chasing down the cash” as an £80million deal is aborted in a move “never seen before”.