Terrible news hits Chelsea fans as the club is hit with fresh injury of a key player before upcoming clashes with Barcelona and Arsenal

Chelsea have been handed a fresh injury concern after Jamie Gittens was forced off during England Under-21s’ win on Friday night.

Gittens, who joined Chelsea from Borussia Dortmund in the summer, started for the Young Lions as they preserved their perfect record in UEFA U21 European Championship qualifying with a 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland in torrential conditions at St Andrew’s.

But his evening ended prematurely just after the 60-minute mark.

The winger appeared to pick up the knock while trying to avoid a challenge from Irish left-back James McManus inside the box. Clearly in discomfort, the 21-year-old headed straight down the tunnel after being replaced by Fulham’s Joshua King.

It is still unclear how serious the issue is, with England U21s set to face Slovakia on Tuesday—a match that could see Lee Carsley’s side move top of Group D with a win.

Although not a consistent starter for Chelsea, Gittens has still featured 14 times across all competitions this season, registering one goal and three assists.

Chelsea now face a crucial period after the international break, with Premier League action against Burnley followed by high-profile home fixtures against Barcelona and Arsenal.

Enzo Maresca has been short of attacking options in recent weeks but hopes Cole Palmer can return soon from a groin problem.

Elsewhere on Friday, fellow Chelsea youngsters enjoyed strong outings. Josh Acheampong helped England U21s secure another clean sheet, while Tyrique George scored in stoppage time to seal the victory. Earlier, Divin Mubama had opened the scoring from the spot, redeeming himself after missing an earlier penalty.