Chelsea defender Reece James has been ruled out for three to four weeks following his injury setback in the Blues’ 2-0 win over Bournemouth, according to The Athletic.
The 23-year-old had a solid first half against the Cherries in his first game after hurting the same knee in Chelsea’s pre-World Cup Champions League win over AC Milan.
However, he signalled to the bench in the 53rd minute of the game after injuring his knee again and was replaced by Cesar Azpilicueta.
After the game, Chelsea boss Graham Potter admitted that he was concerned and had his ‘fingers crossed’ that the injury was not as serious as first feared.
“It’s the same area, so we are concerned,” Potter said. “It’s really too soon (to tell). We’ll have to see over the next 24-48 hours.
“He felt something there, and we will have to find out the extent of it and keep our fingers crossed. We hope it’s not as bad as it was, and he can have a speedy recovery.”
James missed the World Cup due to his recurring knee problems, which proved a massive blow to Gareth Southgate’s side in Qatar.
There was renewed optimism when he took to the pitch on Tuesday night, but his latest setback will be frustrating for the defender, who has now been restricted to just eight league appearances.
However, the silver lining this time is that the injury is not as bad as first feared. While a further setback in the same area could lead to the player undergoing surgery, James underwent a scan on the injury on Wednesday morning, and there does not seem to be a need for drastic actions just yet.
With James set to sit out up to a month of action, the Chelsea academy graduate will miss at least six games, including the Blues’ double date with Manchester City in the league and FA Cup.
Following James’ injury, Chelsea are weighing up their options in the transfer market to provide reliable cover for the Englishman. They are planning a move for Celtic right-back Josip Juranovic next month.
