Chelsea have suffered a huge blow with the news that N’Golo Kante is a major doubt for the Europa League Final against Arsenal due to a knee injury.

Standard Sport understands Kante suffered the problem while training at the club’s base in Cobham on Saturday, and was in pain after the incident happened.

It is believed the nature of the France midfielder’s injury is going to be assessed by the club’s medical team later on Sunday afternoon, but early indications aren’t promising.

Kante, who has not played for Chelsea since sustaining a hamstring strain against Watford three weeks ago, was all set to make his comeback against the Gunners in Baku.

He had stepped up training over the past 12 days and was on course to line up on the right hand side of Chelsea’s three-man midfield as usual.

But Chelsea, who depart for Azerbaijan on Monday, look almost certain to have to play the contest without him. There are even fears he could be out for some time.

It means coach Maurizio Sarri has limited options to choose from in central midfield as Ruben Loftus-Cheek is out for four-six months after rupturing an Achilles tendon in a friendly against New England Revolution on May 15.

Ross Barkley and Mateo Kovacic look sure to be in the first XI next to Jorginho, but there is set to be limited back-up on the bench.

With Danny Drinkwater out of favour and Ethan Ampadu just starting to train again after injury, Sarri will have to turn to academy players like Conor Gallagher to act as cover.

Chelsea have had bad luck with injuries in the latter part of the campaign as key defender Antonio Rudiger saw his season end prematurely with a damaged meniscus in his knee and winger Callum Hudson-Odoi also ruptured his Achilles tendon.