Chelsea defender Reece James has been ruled out for the remainder of the Premier League season, while Mason Mount is also set to be sidelined for the run-in after undergoing surgery.
James sustained a hamstring injury during Chelsea’s Champions League quarter-final second-leg defeat to Real Madrid, while Mount has been struggling with an abdominal issue for some time. Caretaker manager Frank Lampard has said James does not require surgery.
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Mount went to see a specialist on Monday over the pubic muscle injury and was advised to undergo a minor procedure, which Chelsea sanctioned after seeing their last slim hope of silverware extinguished.
Mount had that operation on Tuesday and is now set to be out of action for three to four weeks, with the Premier League season concluding on May 28.
Lampard, speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League game against Brentford on Wednesday, said: “Reece James unavailable. Probably for the season.
“Mason Mount probably the same. Potential for the last game but probably not.
“Mason has been carrying this pelvic injury for quite a while. He’s been trying but we’re at the stage now where he will have minor surgery and a four-week recovery, and we all know where that gets us to.”
Mount has featured 35 times in total this term, but his Chelsea future remains unclear with the England midfielder yet to agree new terms on a deal that expires next summer.
The Athletic has reported that Liverpool lead a list of domestic suitors, while a reunion with Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich has also been mooted.
Lampard confirmed that Chelsea will also be without Kai Havertz on Wednesday, adding: “Kai is still struggling a little bit with his knee so he won’t be available, but the good news is he should be training at the end of the week.”
Chelsea head into the fixture 11th in the table with seven matches remaining.
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(Photo: Getty Images)
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