Chelsea have been given a reason to worry ahead of their next Premier League fixture after Moises Caicedo was spotted missing from the club's latest training session.
The midfielder has become one of the most important players in Xabi Alonso's side, so any uncertainty surrounding his availability is a big concern.
Moises Caicedo missing from Chelsea training
According to Talk Chelsea, citing Sky Sports journalist James Savundra, Caicedo was not present when Chelsea opened their training session to the media on Wednesday.
It is not yet clear why the Ecuador international was absent, and there is no confirmation that he has picked up another injury. However, it is a worry with Chelsea preparing for their next match against Sunderland on Sunday.
Caicedo has already had a frustrating start to the campaign after struggling with a calf problem. He initially missed the opening fixtures before returning against his former club Brighton, only to suffer a recurrence of the issue after just 14 minutes on the pitch.
The midfielder eventually made his return to the starting XI against Bournemouth last month and has been arguably the Blues' most important player since.
Alonso will certainly be hoping this latest absence is nothing more than a precaution or an individual training arrangement. Chelsea cannot afford to lose another key player, particularly with Maxence Lacroix already facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Emi Martinez and Aaron Anselmino are back though
It was not all bad news for Chelsea though.
Emi Martinez and Aaron Anselmino both returning to training.
Martinez has been recovering from a broken jaw sustained during the victory over Everton in October. The goalkeeper has been pushing to return before the international break, although it remains to be seen whether he is ready to feature against Sunderland.
Anselmino has also endured a frustrating spell with injuries since the beginning of the campaign. The young defender has struggled to establish himself, so his return to the group is another positive development.
Chelsea desperately need some of their injured players back, especially with Lacroix expected to miss several weeks and the team's other defensive options becoming stretched.
However, Caicedo's absence will undoubtedly be the main talking point from Wednesday's session.
The midfielder is too important to Chelsea for them not to be concerned whenever he is missing, but maybe we shouldn't jump to any conclusions just yet.
Alonso will provide an update in his press conference ahead of Sunderland on the weekend.
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