"I will come back stronger than ever" – Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez reacts on social media after successful surgery for groin issue

Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez has opened up on his recent groin surgery, claiming that he will return to action as his best self in the future.

After featuring in the Blues' humiliating 5-0 Premier League loss at Arsenal, the 23-year-old went under the knife to correct his long-standing groin problem. The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner will miss his team's final six games of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign.

Following his successful surgery, Fernandez posted on Instagram:

"I wanted to let you know that my operation was successful, everything went well, thank God. I needed to have this surgery, since I had been experiencing pain for approximately six months. It was something I could avoid while constantly treating myself with injections and medications. But a few weeks ago, the pain began to become more intense, without any of this having an effect."

Fernandez, who arrived from Benfica for £107 million last year, added:

"It was worse since I trained and played with discomfort, but I did not want to stop being in the games. Every time I had to play with Chelsea shirt, like that of the [Argentina] national team, I tried to give my best despite all this but I couldn't take it anymore."

Expressing gratitude to his fans and his doctors, Fernandez remarked:

"Thank you for the messages, the encouragement and your usual expressions of affection. Greetings to everyone, I promise you that I will come back stronger than ever 🤍💙. Take care, EJF 🦁. [I want to] thank the doctors who took care of me during surgery: Chris Hughes, Ernest Schilders and Daniel Martinez 🙏🏻"

So far this season, Fernandez has made 40 appearances across competitions for Chelsea. The River Plate academy graduate has scored seven goals and laid out three assists in 3093 minutes of action so far.

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino provides injury update on Reece James, Levi Colwill

Ahead of his team's Premier League trip to Aston Villa this Saturday, Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino was queried if Reece James and Levi Colwill are fit again. The Argentine replied (h/t Yahoo! News):

"They are not available yet. They are close. They were doing partial training, but they are not available."

While James has been out for multiple months with a hamstring injury, Colwill has been sidelined for close to eight weeks with a toe problem.

Chelsea, on the other hand, are ninth in the 2023-24 Premier League table with 47 points from 32 matches – six points off sixth place.