Chelsea goalkeeper Édouard Mendy ruled out further with fractured finger

Chelsea goalkeeper Édouard Mendy had been dealing with an unspecified shoulder problem, which limited him in training and had caused him to not even make the matchday squad in our three games since the World Cup. It’s unclear how long that shoulder issue was (is?) expected to be a problem, but now he’s been also ruled out “for a spell” after fracturing his finger, which, as confirmed by the club this morning, has required surgery.

Mendy picked up the injury earlier this week in training. The club’s announcement did not specify how long the 30-year-old might be ruled out, though fractures, even minor ones, can take a month or two to properly set and heal. And a broken finger for a goalkeeper is not exactly a minor concern.

Mendy has started just four games in all competitions since mid-September, after losing his place thanks to injuries and a few high-profile errors. Kepa Arrizabalaga has made the most of his opportunity to reclaim his starting spot, and that remains his position to lose (so no more silliness like on Thursday!). Marcus Bettinelli might hope to get a game tomorrow in the FA Cup however. (And we also assigned a squad number to Gabriel Slonina, so maybe he will step up as the third goalkeeper for now.)

Looking longer term, Mendy will have two years left on his contract after this season, and given the way it has gone for him in the last 10-11 months or so, his future at Chelsea is not necessarily assured.