Chelsea captain James could miss three months after knee surgery

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Chelsea have confirmed captain Reece James has undergone successful minor knee surgery.

James missed Chelsea’s last two games, a 3-0 defeat at Brentford and 5-1 win against Bournemouth, after suffering an injury in training.

The club confirmed the 26-year-old has already started his recovery, with reports suggesting he could be sidelined for three months.

James has made six appearances for the Blues this season, with Xabi Alonso’s side sitting sixth in the Premier League ahead of Saturday’s trip to Everton.

The right-back has struggled with injuries since breaking into the Chelsea first-team; he has suffered various hamstring injuries in each of the last four seasons.

In fact, the 2025-26 campaign (44) was the first time James played over 40 games for Chelsea in a single season since 2020-21 (47).

Chelsea Football Club has released the following update regarding Reece James.

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 16, 2026

Alonso could start Pedro Neto in the right-wingback role as he did against Bournemouth, while summer signing Marco Palestra made his return from injury against the Cherries.

Though they are the third-highest goalscorers in the Premier League this season (15), no side has conceded more so far this term than Chelsea (13).

The Blues have conceded in each of their last 22 league games, only once having a longer run without a clean sheet (31 games between November 1960 and August 1961).

Premier League News

Tielemans calls for togetherness amid Man Utd’s recent slump

Football Accumulators

October 17th: Saturday’s Premier League Accumulator – 4/1 Special, Betting Tips & Analysis

Premier League News

Premier League predictions: Maresca backed to make history with Man City

Premier League News

Barkley hopes Fenerbahce win can turn Villa’s league fortunes around

Premier League News

Koumas backs ‘unbelievable’ Barcola to build on Champions League hat-trick

Premier League News

Maresca: Ipswich game the perfect chance for Man City to bounce back

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.