Chelsea captain Reece James suffered a hamstring injury during Sunday’s Premier League loss to Everton.
The England defender, making his first start since November 25, had to exit the field after 26 minutes due to the injury.
James, 24, has faced injury challenges in the last two seasons, featuring in only 24 Premier League games since the beginning of the 2022-23 campaign.
The club confirmed the hamstring injury, stating, “Scan results have confirmed a hamstring injury. Reece [James] will now begin his rehabilitation programme at Cobham.” The duration of James’ absence is yet to be disclosed as Chelsea gears up for a busy festive period with five games before the end of the year.
This setback follows James missing eight matches between August and October due to a hamstring injury sustained in Chelsea’s 1-1 draw against Liverpool.
Additionally, he missed the World Cup in Qatar last year due to knee ligament damage.
Reece James joins a growing list of absentees for Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino, with Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Christopher Nkunku, Trevor Chalobah, Malo Gusto, and Carney Chukwuemeka among the senior players currently sidelined.
Chelsea’s recent form has been challenging, winning only one of their last five league fixtures, and they currently sit in 12th place in the standings after seven defeats, collecting 19 points from their opening 16 games.