Chelsea captain Reece James is expected to spend around three months on the sidelines after undergoing successful knee surgery, dealing another setback to the Premier League club.
The 26-year-old England international sustained the injury during training last Friday, forcing him to miss Chelsea’s 5-1 victory over Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge the following day.
Chelsea confirmed on Friday that James had undergone successful minor knee surgery after medical assessments determined that an operation was necessary.
The club added that the defender had already begun his rehabilitation at its Cobham training centre, where he will receive support from the medical team. However, Chelsea have yet to announce an official date for his return.
James is expected to miss several important fixtures, including Premier League clashes against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Manchester City, as well as the Carabao Cup encounter with Liverpool.
His absence comes at a difficult time for Chelsea, who will have to cope without their captain during a demanding stretch of the season.
The injury is also another setback for James, who has struggled with fitness problems in recent seasons. Despite those challenges, he made 29 Premier League appearances last season, his highest league appearance total since the 2020/21 campaign.
The right-back has featured six times for Chelsea this season, including three Premier League starts. He signed a new six-year contract with the club in March.
Chelsea will now hope James makes a full recovery as he begins another period of
