Chelsea defender Benoit Badiashile out for an extended period with hamstring injury

Chelsea centre-back Benoit Badiashile will be out for a while with a hamstring injury he suffered in training this week, the club has announced.

The 22-year-old went for a sliding challenge and pulled up. The French international left training immediately and went for scans.

Reports came out yesterday claiming it was a groin problem, but it is a hamstring issue. He could be out till August this year.

Badiashile joined the Blues in the January transfer window from AS Monaco for £35 million. He has been one of their better additions.

The young defender is calm and composed. He wins his duels easily and is incredible on the ball.

Chelsea will miss the defender, but they have plenty of options at the back including Thiago Silva, Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana.

They have Trevoh Chalobah and Levi Colwill. The latter will return from a successful loan at Brighton & Hove Albion this summer.

Colwill has impressed so much on loan with the Seagulls, and they want to keep him.

Manager Roberto De Zerbi wants him around next year but acknowledged that he is a Chelsea player.

The Blues don’t have to worry about replacing Badiashile as they have other positions of concern.

Chelsea want a goalkeeper, defensive midfielder and striker. They expect plenty of departures this summer.

Incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino must make this listless Chelsea squad thrive after their failure to qualify for the Champions League.

Chelsea’s new owners must address the problems they have created this summer to ensure the club does not sink any further.