Christian Atsu returns to Chelsea for hamstring injury treatment

Christian Atsu is the second long-term loanee to return to Chelsea in the last 30 days because of injury.  At the end of November, Victor Moses came back down from Stoke to receive care for his thigh injury.  Now it's Atsu's turn to head south on the M6 and get healthy at Cobham's world class facilities.  The 22-year-old Ghanaian winger got hurt 10 days ago in a meaningless Europa League match against Krasnodar.

"We have sent him back to Chelsea and he's receiving medical attention there.  We're working together with them to make sure he comes back as quickly as possible.  We're pretty confident that he's not going to be too bad."

"These sorts of injuries happen to players like Christian who are sprinters.  With these muscle injuries you have to monitor them and be careful they are fully fit.  We're trying to make sure he's back in the next two to three weeks maximum."

-Roberto Martinez; source: Everton FC

For Moses, it looks like this sort of arrangement -- fairly standard for longer-term injuries for our loan players -- will reap rewards as Stoke City boss Mark Hughes confirmed that the winger's expected back ahead of schedule.  Moses was expected to be out 6-8 weeks, but may return in just 4.  Score another one for the Chelsea medical team!

For Atsu, the injury comes just as rumors of his loan getting cut short were making the rounds.  His time on Merseyside certainly has not gone as well as expected, and if a change of venue is indeed in the offing, he may have played his final match for Everton.  Either way, get well soon!