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Chelsea players are being targeted by private sports medicine experts looking to tackle the club’s ongoing injury crisis.
Mauricio Pochettino’s first season at Stamford Bridge has been plagued by persistent muscle injury problems that have put pressure on the club’s medical department.
And Mail Sport has learned that senior members of the Blues squad have been discreetly approached by external medical professionals offering their services outside Chelsea’s control.
There is a growing trend of footballers seeking additional medical care outside of their respective clubs, as players seek alternatives to more traditional practices.
For example, England captain Harry Kane hired Canadian-based specialist Dr. Alejandro Elorriaga Claraco to cure his long-standing ankle problems.
Mauricio Pochettino’s first season at Chelsea has been plagued by persistent injury problems
Players have been contacted by professionals offering their services outside Chelsea
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A number of Kane’s international colleagues have also hired experts to work on their bodies outside their club’s training grounds.
Mail Sport understands that two senior Chelsea players have so far rejected the advances of practitioners and instead put their trust in the club’s current medical department.
Generally, clubs prefer that their players do not receive off-site medical attention, with many footballers receiving off-site care in secret so as not to cause problems with teams.
Going forward, Chelsea are looking to strengthen their injury prevention practices in an effort to avoid a repeat of this season.
The Blues are currently in the process of recruiting a new head of Performance Medicine after former medical director Dimitrios Kalogiannidis left the club following a 14-year spell at Stamford Bridge.
They are also looking to add a physical performance coach to their staff in the coming weeks, a role specifically designed to help reduce injuries.
Harry Kane hired a Canadian-based specialist to cure his long-standing ankle problems
The Blues have nine first-team players unavailable for Thursday’s match against Man United
The job description reads: ‘The role includes, but is not limited to, leading the monitoring and recovery of our first team, including projects around the ‘other 22 hours’ relating to optimizing key lifestyle components that contribute to optimal health and performance, supported by the latest physiological principles and evidence.’
The Blues currently have nine first-team players unavailable for Thursday’s match against Manchester United.