Chelsea will not abandon their January transfer plans because of Reece James’ latest injury, with manager Xabi Alonso expecting his captain to return around the turn of the year. Alonso has also challenged João Pedro to build on his productive start to the campaign as the Blues prepare for a demanding run of fixtures.
James underwent successful knee surgery after picking up an injury in training before Chelsea’s 5-1 Premier League victory over Bournemouth. Although the club have not set a firm return date, the defender is expected to miss several weeks and could be sidelined until after Christmas.
Asked whether the setback would affect Chelsea’s recruitment plans, Alonso was clear that it would not.
“No I don’t think so because we expect by that time he’s back, maybe some weeks before maybe after, it’s not exact, so it doesn’t affect [January transfer window],” he said, in comments reported by The Sun.
The Chelsea captain’s absence is a significant loss, but Alonso stressed that the club’s priority is to ensure the 26-year-old makes a full recovery rather than rushing him back.
“We are all disappointed, especially for him. He wanted to have a good start after the international break but in the last training he had an injury.
“We wanted to wait to know the result of the tests, but the surgery has been successful.
“He keeps reporting here. He is close to the team and a great influence even when he is not available. We don’t set timelines, but he will be out for several weeks. It is not going to be short.
“After Christmas, time will tell. Things must be done properly. Get that knee in the best possible condition. It is a disappointment for everyone, for him, but we have the squad to deal with it.”
While James begins his rehabilitation, Alonso will look to João Pedro to maintain the form that has made him one of Chelsea’s leading attacking threats. The Brazilian has scored five times in as many Premier League appearances and also provided three assists, including a brace in the win over Bournemouth.
Speaking ahead of the trip to Everton, Alonso said the striker’s challenge was to sustain his contribution rather than be satisfied with his early numbers.
“From the first day of pre-season we spoke about that, the next step that he wanted, and he started really well with the pre-season and this season as well. So it’s about continuing,” Alonso said on Chelsea’s official website.
“When you want to become a top striker in this league, you need to be ready in each game to have your impact. He’s having it and we need that he keeps going.”
The manager believes João Pedro has the qualities to develop further, praising both his movement around the penalty area and his link-up play.
“He wants to be in the box and wants to help the team around the box as well. He’s very complete. I really like the way he plays and the way he’s connecting with his team-mates.”
Alonso also warned that Chelsea would need to be ready for a physical contest against Everton, who were sitting one place above them in the table before the weekend fixture.
“Each one is difficult, and away even more difficult. That’s why tomorrow we know that we need to do many things right football-wise, competitive-wise, in terms of fights, duels, playing good with the ball.”
Chelsea must now manage James’ recovery while maintaining their results through a busy schedule. Alonso’s confidence in the squad means the injury is not, for now, changing the club’s approach to January.