Chelsea handed new Reece James injury timeline as Mauricio Pochettino star set to miss key run

Chelsea injury news: Reece James has been confirmed as an injury concern for Chelsea, set for yet another spell on the sidelines

The 24-year-old has struggled with fitness concerns over the course of his career at Stamford Bridge so far, though there were hopes that he had put them behind him. The Cobham academy graduate has been a key star since breaking into the team, even going on to earn the club captaincy this season.

The manager told the press: "I think it's a sad moment because he's our captain. He was so excited to be a captain, full of energy. I think we are going to assess him day-by-day as well as possible. For sure, he is going to become stronger than he was, we are going to help him to become stronger than before."

As for the club statement itself, it reads: "Starting rehabilitation having undergone assessments on an injury sustained in training this week." That could mean anything between having a short time out to a longer spell on the sidelines, though recent reports have put a timeline on the situation.

According to Nathan Gissing, James is set to miss out on action for just over one month, which would guarantee that he misses West Ham, Luton, AFC Wimbledon, Nottingham Forest and possibly Bournemouth too. That comes as a huge blow to Pochettino, given that run-in could allow the Blues to push on with a host of victories.

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