Chelsea have been without Reece James for their last two matches, and Blues manager Xabi Alonso will now have to deal with the absence of his captain for much longer

Reece James is set be ruled out for THREE MONTHS after having surgery on his knee. James, 26, missed Chelsea's last two games either side of the international break with an injury that forced him to withdraw from the England squad last month.

And now the Blues captain looks unlikely to return before the new year. Chelsea confirmed on Friday that James has undergone a minor knee operation after picking up the injury in training.

A statement from the club added: "Reece has already begun his road to recovery and will be supported by the club's medical department at Cobham during this rehabilitation phase. Everyone at Chelsea wishes Reece a speedy recovery and will support him on his road to return."

James previously suffered a knee injury in 2022 which saw him miss that year's World Cup. The defender's fitness improved last season, allowing him to play a prominent role for England at the 2026 edition.

Make sure you don't miss sport's biggest stories and breaking news by making the Daily Mirror one of your Google preferred sources.

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has used James in midfield this term and on Friday described his absence as 'disappointing'. "It's not going to be a two or three-week thing, it's going to be longer and after that we will see," Alonso told a pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's game away to Everton.

"Before Christmas, after Christmas, time will tell. Things have to be done properly so that he feels right and is in the best possible condition.

"It's a disappointment for everyone, for him, but we need to have a squad to deal with injuries. We support him, he will stay close to the team, he's a great influence even when he's not available, and we wish him the best recovery."

James' injury coincides with a difficult run of fixtures for the Blues. After facing Everton, Chelsea host Tottenham and then Manchester United either side of a trip to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.

Levi Colwill has captained Chelsea since James was sidelined and Alonso is confident that he has enough leaders. "We have Moi (Moises Caicedo), we have Levi, we have players who take responsibility and carry that role in a perfect way," the Spaniard stressed.

"They have the support from the rest and the players respect them when they wear the armband, so it's no bother. Their own personality. Each one is different. Levi is different from Reece, Moi is different, Cole [Palmer], Hendo (Jordan Henderson).

"Each one is different, Dibu (Emiliano Martinez) as well. That's why it's so important for me to have a mix of personalities, qualities and stages of their careers. I think we're in a good place in that way."