Reece James faces a THREE-MONTH spell on the sidelines after undergoing knee surgery. James, 26, missed Chelsea's last two games either side of the international break with an injury that forced him to withdraw from the England squad last month.
The Blues captain now looks unlikely to feature again before the new year. Chelsea confirmed on Friday that James has undergone a minor knee operation after sustaining the injury during a training session.
A club statement read, via The Mirror : "Reece has already begun his road to recovery and will be supported by the club's medical department at Cobham during this rehabilitation phase. Everyone at Chelsea wishes Reece a speedy recovery and will support him on his road to return."
-Credit:Darren Walsh, Chelsea FC via Getty Images
James previously suffered a knee injury in 2022, which saw him miss that year's FIFA World Cup. The defender's fitness improved last season, allowing him to play a prominent role for England at the 2026 edition.
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has deployed James in midfield this season and on Friday described his absence as 'disappointing'. "It's not going to be a two or three-week thing, it's going to be longer and after that we will see," Alonso told a pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's match away to Everton.
"Before Christmas, after Christmas, time will tell. Things have to be done properly so that he feels right and is in the best possible condition.
"It's a disappointment for everyone, for him, but we need to have a squad to deal with injuries. We support him, he will stay close to the team, he's a great influence even when he's not available, and we wish him the best recovery."
To listen to the latest episode of 'All Out Soccer' - CLICK HERE
James' injury comes at a challenging period in the schedule for the Blues. Following their clash with Everton, Chelsea welcome Tottenham Hotspur before hosting Manchester United, sandwiched around a Carabao Cup trip to Liverpool.
Levi Colwill has assumed the captaincy at Chelsea since James was ruled out, and Alonso is confident he has sufficient leaders within his ranks. "We have Moi (Moises Caicedo), we have Levi, we have players who take responsibility and carry that role in a perfect way," the Spaniard stressed.
"They have the support from the rest and the players respect them when they wear the armband, so it's no bother. Their own personality. Each one is different. Levi is different from Reece, Moi is different, Cole [Palmer], Hendo (Jordan Henderson).
"Each one is different, Dibu (Emiliano Martínez) as well. That's why it's so important for me to have a mix of personalities, qualities and stages of their careers. I think we're in a good place in that way."
