Chelsea captain Reece James undergoes knee surgery

Chelsea's captain Reece James has undergone minor knee surgery following an injury sustained during training. The 26-year-old was not included in the squad for the match against Bournemouth due to discomfort in his knee during a training session at Cobham on Friday. Following Chelsea's 5-1 victory, head coach Xabi Alonso stated that James would be closely monitored "week by week."

However, the club has now confirmed that James has successfully undergone minor knee surgery after assessments confirmed this as the necessary course of action. Recurring hamstring injuries have plagued James, who has had to miss 11 distinct matches since December 2020. This is his 11th injury, with five of them being hamstring issues.

Despite the setback, James has made three appearances for Chelsea this season, one in the League Cup. He also played five times for England during the World Cup this summer. In the 2021-22 season, James made a record-high 29 Premier League appearances, previously his highest tally since 2020-21. Chelsea announced that James has begun his recovery process and will be supported by the club's medical department at Cobham during his rehabilitation phase.