Alonso reveals injury setback for missing Chelsea summer signing
Xabi Alonso said the 23-year-old striker will miss a few weeks and is not yet fit after picking up the injury in pre-season.
- Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso confirmed that Captain Reece James underwent successful knee surgery, ruling him out for "several weeks." Alonso dismissed concerns the injury would force January transfer activity.
- James suffered the setback during recent training ahead of Saturday's match against Everton. The 26-year-old, who previously dealt with hamstring issues, required surgery following medical assessments.
- To compensate for James's absence, Alonso plans to utilize a three-man midfield. Romeo Lavia and Valentin Barco, both 22, provide midfield competition alongside Caicedo and Henderson.
- Meanwhile, striker Emegha remains sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained in pre-season. The 195 cm forward, who arrived from Strasbourg last year, is training but not yet fully fit.
- Alonso remains optimistic about squad direction, citing the "good momentum" of his team. The manager emphasized maintaining midfield balance as fundamental to building consistency in recent performances.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Chelsea rule out January signing after Reece James injury
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has said the club is not planning to sign cover for injured captain Reece James in January, as he expects the defender to have returned by then, adding that Moises Caicedo and Levi Colwill can provide leadership in his absence.
The Independent
The Independent (US)Alonso reveals impact of James injury on Chelsea’s January transfer plans
The Chelsea defender is set for an extended spell on the sidelines, with Xabi Alonso detailing how the club will approach his captain’s absence
The injury of Reece James may force Chelsea to anticipate a correction that was already being discussed for January. The captain went through knee surgery and should be out for about three months, just after being used by Xabi Alonso mainly in the middle-field. The problem does not start with James. Chelsea ...
The captain of Chelsea, Reece James, will be absent from the field...
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