Chelsea have reportedly been handed a huge blow by the news that Ben Chilwell will need to undergo surgery on a knee injury.
The left wing-back, who was arguably producing the best form of his career at the time, sustained an ACL injury during the Champions League fixture with Juventus on November 23.
After an initial assessment, the Chelsea medical team made the decision to wait six weeks in order to see if the issue could be resolved without an operation.
However, according to football.london, the England international has now been told that he faced a prolonged period on the sidelines.
The report claims that a second assessment occurred on Monday, the conclusion being that the 25-year-old would be required to undergo surgery.
That development effectively rules Chilwell out for the rest of the season, potentially forcing Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel to look for a replacement during the January transfer window.
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