There are growing fears in Italy that AS Roma may cancel Davide Zappacosta’s loan deal after Giallorossi announced today that the loanee had damaged the knee ligaments in his right leg.

Zappacosta was shipped off to the Italian capital in August after Frank Lampard decided to place his faith in youngster Reece James instead.

The Italian broke down in training on Friday, and it was reported shortly after that he had torn an ACL.

He had managed just 12 minutes of football for the Giallorossi so far this season and was about to return from a calf problem.

The 27-year-old’s season-long loan does not include an option to buy from Chelsea but does contain a break clause in January.

Football Italia report that the defender may be sent back to Stamford Bridge without starting a single match for the Lupi.

He is the 15th Roma player to tear his ACL in the last five years after the likes of Alessandro Florenzi, Kevin Strootman, Antonio Rudiger and Emerson Palmieri.

He also becomes the club’s fifth major casualty this term after Lorenzo Pellegrini, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Diego Perotti and Cengiz Under.

Sky Sport Italia is forecasting a layoff of 4-5 months for the ex-Torino and Atalanta wingback, who has 13 Italy caps.