Chelsea captain Reece James will be out of action for at least three months following a minor knee surgery this week.
The England international sustained the setback in the lead-up to the Bournemouth game last weekend and manager Xabi Alonso confirmed that he would be assessed on a weekly basis.
However, James has now undergone surgery for his knee issue and has been ruled out for the rest of the year. He may not return in January and may have to wait until February to feature again.
The news may not represent a huge blow for the Blues, given they have adequate cover at right wing-back with the presence of Malo Gusto, Pedro Neto and new signing Marco Palestra.
James will be a slight miss in midfield, but they have quality there too with Moises Caicedo, Jordan Henderson, Valentin Barco and Romeo Lavia among options that the manager can utilise.
The Blues are expected to land another marquee midfielder this winter.
