Graham Potter has been unable to put a timeline on Reece James' injury after confessing his "disappointment" at losing the player so soon after his recovery.
The defender has only just returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines with his start against Bournemouth his first outing since mid-October. James though lasted less than an hour at Stamford Bridge as he was forced off with what looks like a leg injury.
James was visibly upset as he received attention from the medics with his arm covering his face. He was able to walk off the pitch, receiving a handshake from his manager, who has since confirmed that the club will have to assess the player before they know more about the injury.
He told Amazon Prime Video when asked for a diagnosis: "Not too much, we're going to have to see in the next 24 to 48 hours but disappointing to lose him as quickly as we did."
James has become a crucial figure for the Blues since coming through their academy. His versatility is a huge asset, albeit he has largely been deployed as a right-back, which is where he's been the most effective. Potter has rarely been able to call on the 23-year-old during his tenure and was thrilled to have him back.
He said before the win over Bournemouth: "It’s brilliant (to have him back), he’s a top, top player. We’ve missed him for sure and although we’ve got a lot of good players Reece is a high level, any team would miss him. It’s good to have him back, he’s been building up his time so probably won’t get 90 minutes today but it’s nice to have him from the start. Kepa coming in from an injury as well is important for us and Denis whenever he’s played he’s helped us so it’s again exciting to see him play."
James' knee injury back in October robbed him of a place at the World Cup with England. Many had backed the Chelsea star to be a starter for Gareth Southgate, but he wasn't picked for the tournament in Qatar. The Three Lions boss ultimately opted not to take the gamble on James' fitness after he sustained an injury against AC Milan.
The player said at the time: “Devastated. The minute I injured my knee, I knew the turnaround to make the World Cup would be tight, but I always felt it was possible. I’ve worked harder than I ever thought I could to give myself the best chance of going and truly believed I could help the team. I appreciate there was a risk on both sides but it was one I was willing to take. Good luck to the boys.”
