Chelsea suffer a blow as Enzo will MISS the rest of the season with groin injury

Enzo Fernandez will miss the remainder of the Premier League season after undergoing surgery to address a groin injury in time for the Copa America.

According to Argentine outlet Ole, the Chelsea midfielder has been suffering from an inguinal hernia - a problem that affects the groin region between the lower abdomen and the thigh - for over a month.

The World Cup winner will undergo surgery and is expected to be out of action for approximately three weeks, before returning in time for the Copa America, which kicks off on June 20 in the United States.

Chelsea's medical staff initially sought to address the issue with a non-invasive procedure, but after consulting with Argentina's team doctors it became apparent Fernandez would require surgery.

And with the Blues' season effectively over after they were knocked out of the FA Cup on Saturday, all parties agreed the best course of action for the 23-year-old would be to undergo treatment before the Copa America.

Before opting to go under the knife, Fernandez also consulted a kinesiologist whom he worked with during his days at River Plate and who joined him in London for the procedure.

Fernandez missed the 6-0 win over Everton last week, but started the 1-0 loss in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City on Saturday and the 5-0 thrashing against Arsenal on Tuesday.

The Argentina international has scored three Premier League goals and made four assists since joining the Blues from Benfica in January last year for £107million.

The fee for Fernandez was a British record at the time, though the club have since surpassed it in signing fellow midfielder Moises Caicedo from Brighton for £115m.

Chelsea’s league position has not markedly improved in the 15 months since Fernandez