Chelsea players discreetly targeted by private sports medicine experts, as the club's ongoing injury crisis continues to raise scrutiny on the Blues' medical team

Chelsea players are being targeted by private sports medicine experts looking to pounce on the club’s ongoing injury crisis.

Mauricio Pochettino’s first season in charge at Stamford Bridge has been ravaged by consistent muscular injury problems that have thrust major scrutiny on the club’s medical department.

And Mail Sport has learned leading members of the Blues squad have been discreetly approached by external medical professionals offering their services away from Chelsea’s control.

There is a growing trend of footballers seeking additional medical care away from their respective clubs in as players seek alternatives to more traditional practices.

England captain Harry Kane, for example, hired Canadian-based specialist Dr. Alejandro Elorriaga Claraco to cure his long standing ankle problems.

A number of Kane’s international colleagues have also hired experts to work on their bodies away from their club training grounds.

Mail Sport knows of two senior Chelsea players have so far rejected the advances of practitioners, instead putting faith in the club’s current medical department.

Generally clubs would prefer their players not to receive off-site medical attention, with many footballers receiving external care in secret so not cause issues with teams.

Moving forward, Chelsea are looking to bolster their injury prevention practices in an effort to avoid a repeat of this season.

The Blues are currently in the midst 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 the their staff in the coming weeks, a role specifically designed to aid the reduction of injuries.

The job remit reads: ’The role will include but not limited to leading on monitoring and recovery of our first team playing squad including projects around the ‘other 22 hours’ in relation to optimising 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 clash against Manchester United.