Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández has undergone surgery on a groin injury that will rule him out for the remainder of the season, dealing a blow to head coach Mauricio Pochettino's hopes of keeping his job. The £106.8m Argentina international has an inguinal hernia and is expected to miss the final six Premier League games, starting with Saturday's trip to Aston Villa.
The operation will allow Fernández to recover in time for this summer's Copa América. The 23-year-old has struggled with the injury in recent weeks, and his absence leaves Chelsea with only Conor Gallagher and Moisés Caicedo as fit midfielders, with Lesley Ugochukwu and Roméo Lavia also sidelined long-term.
Pochettino is under growing pressure after Chelsea's 5-0 defeat at Arsenal on Tuesday, following their FA Cup semi-final loss to Manchester City. The club's hierarchy is expected to review his position at the end of the season, with sources suggesting he is at risk of being sacked. His chances may depend on whether Chelsea qualify for Europe; they are currently ninth, six points behind sixth-placed Manchester United with a game in hand.
Despite the setbacks, Pochettino retains the support of the dressing room, though there have been murmurs of discontent over his tactical choices. The former Tottenham manager has pointed to his limited influence on squad construction under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, who have spent over £1bn on transfers.
