Chelsea will be without a number of regular first team members for the start of 2023. The Blues start the year with a trip to Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon and will do so missing Reece James.
The 23-year-old was forced to be withdrawn against Bournemouth on Tuesday evening and will miss three-four weeks of action. Graham Potter may now be forced into the transfer market to search for another right-back, with Celtic's Josip Juranovic cited as a possible option.
With other players such as N'Golo Kante and Welsey Fofana still out injured, the Blues will hope other stars can step up their own individual recoveries, with fixtures now coming thick and fast as the festival football period springs into life.
READ MORE: Chelsea get hands off warning for key Reece James replacement ahead of January transfer blow
Nottingham Forest is the next test for Potter to attempt to maneuver his side through, as football.london explores the very latest news from the Chelsea camp in terms of injuries...
Reece James
Injury: Knee
Return: mid-February
Pulling up against the Cherries, James seems to have suffered a recovering setback of the injury that meant the defender missed the World Cup in Qatar.
Speaking following the game at Stamford Bridge, Potter told media: "It's the same area, so we are concerned. It's really too soon [to tell]. We'll have to see over the next 24-48 hours. He felt something there and we will have to find out the extent of it and keep our fingers crossed."
N'Golo Kante
Injury: Thigh
Return: mid-February
Having also missed the World Cup, 2018 winners France fell at the final hurdle, with some hinting that N'Golo Kante's influence may have been missed in midfield.
The Chelsea man is still on the sidelines, with Potter providing an update just six short days ago. He said: ''He’ll be [the] end of Feb [or the] start of March. It’s a surgery, so it’s a minimum period of four months. My focus is to help him get back fit as soon as possible.'
Wesley Fofana
Injury: Knee
Return: Early January
Having missed most of the season so far, former Leicester man Welsey Fofana's influence at the back has been somewhat felt. Kalidou Koulibaly and Thiago Silva have performed well, but the Frenchman will be keen to return to action soon.
''Wesley had a little setback, which can sometimes happen at the very last stage of rehab, so he will be [out for] a couple of weeks,'' Potter said most recently.
Ben Chilwell
Injury: Thigh
Return: Early January
Again have missed large parts of the Blues season, fellow defender Ben Chilwell will be keen to get back fit and help Chelsea's chances of claiming a place in the top four this season.
''Ben has come back from his individual work in Dubai, and he's now working closer with the guys but still not team training,'' added the Blues boss earlier this week when quizzed on Chilwell's injury.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Injury: Calf
Return: Early January
Having been deployed in a number of different positions so far this season, Potter will have missed the versatility that Loftus-Cheek no doubt suitably brings to this Chelsea side.
Giving his thoughts on the midfielder, Potter is hopeful the 26-year-old can return soon, stating: ''Ruben is doing some work in the gym so we’re hopeful that he can be involved next week but we’ll see how he goes.''
Armando Broja
Injury: Knee
Return: Late 2023
Having pulled up nastily in the side's mid-season friendly against Aston Villa, Armando Broja could be heard reeling in pain as his knee injury more than definitely curtailed his 22/23 season. Having made quite the impression under Potter, it was a sad blow for the former Southampton loanee.
Potter told the media last week: ''It was just an unfortunate action. He got caught up with their player and the ground. It doesn’t look positive at the moment but it’s too early to say. Fingers crossed but it is an awkward one.''
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