Mauricio Pochettino identifies £100k-a-week star as perfect replacement after Ben Chilwell blow is confirmed

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino and his coaching staff are certain they have proper cover in Marc Cucurella after finding out the injury to Ben Chilwell is worse than initially anticipated.

Chilwell started the League Cup game against Brighton and played his role in the team’s morale-boosting win against Roberto De Zerbi’s side before his night was abruptly ended after picking up a hamstring injury.

The initial diagnosis were that he would be out for around six week but reports now suggest he could be out for longer with the England defender not expected back till around Christmas.

Chilwell has been electric for Chelsea when fit, but his time at the Bridge has more often than not been interrupted by injuries including one that ruled him out of the World Cup in Qatar.

The ex-Leicester man was unavailable for 20 matches in 2022/23, including the final five of Frank Lampard’s second spell in charge.

When Chiwlell first joined Chelsea he missed seven days of training due to being quarantined, he then picked up a serious Anterior Cruciate injury that kept him out for 178 days and he missed a combined 45 games for club and country.

He returned and just when he thought the nightmare over, a hamstring injury struck again ruling him out of the World Cup in a devastating blow for him. He joined Reece James as players who were certain of a spot on the plane to Qatar but could not do so due to injury.

He also missed the end of last season due to another hamstring injury, in total, he’s missed more than 308 days due to either illness or injury since signing for Chelsea in the summer of 2020.

Mauricio Pochettino’s team coaching staff are aware of his record but have been impressed with Levi Colwill as the first-choice left-back this season as well as the cover and versatility that Marc Cucurella provides. Chelsea have won every game the Spanish international has started so far this season.