Chelsea’s captain, Reece James, is set to consult with a hamstring specialist to delve into the details of his latest injury setback. However, it’s anticipated that he won’t be able to return to action until at least February.
During Chelsea’s recent Premier League defeat to Everton, James, who has a history of hamstring issues, had to leave the pitch in the first half. Earlier in the season, he missed two months due to a similar problem sustained in the opening game in August.
Reports indicate that James is likely to be sidelined for approximately three months, with a potential return by the end of February or the beginning of March.
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On Tuesday, James has an appointment with a specialist, including a scan to thoroughly diagnose the problem. The course of his rehabilitation will be determined by the findings, but the recovery process may not be straightforward.
In recent years, James has also grappled with various ankle and knee problems, causing him to miss around 35 games – nearly a full Premier League season – solely due to hamstring injuries.
Chelsea’s head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, expressed disappointment over this latest setback, recognizing the significance of losing a key and influential player during a crucial team-building phase.
“Of course for us he is an important player, one of the best full-backs in the world,” Pochettino lamented. “We are disappointed because when you believe you can build something and a player like him who should be really important for us can’t help the team.”
Compounding Chelsea’s challenge, the secondary right-back, Malo Gusto, remains unavailable, leaving a gap on that side of the defense. To address this, Marc Cucurella has been deployed from the left, but with Ben Chilwell also sidelined, center-back Levi Colwill has been shifted wide as his replacement. Fellow center-back Axel Disasi has also been utilized as a right-back on occasion, but Pochettino acknowledges that no solution is ideal.