Chelsea captain Reece James will reportedly undergo a scan on Thursday afternoon to determine the extent of a hamstring problem, with the defender potentially facing another spell on the sidelines.
The England international, who was appointed the new Chelsea captain before the start of the 2023-24 campaign, was replaced in the 76th minute of Sunday's 1-1 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League.
Blues head coach Mauricio Pochettino said after the clash with the Reds that James's withdrawal was a precaution due to his fitness problems last season.
"Because he was tired. You need to see from where he came. The first thing we did when we arrived was to assess and analyse all of the players from the past," Pochettino told reporters.
"He was injured for three or four months. This pre-season was tough for him, we didn't want to take any risk and that is why at 80 minutes, we wanted to avoid the risk."
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However, according to journalist Nathan Gissing, James is potentially now facing a period on the sidelines with a hamstring problem.
There are no indications whether the defender picked up the issue against Liverpool on Sunday or suffered a setback during a training session this week.
Gissing claims that the 23-year-old will undergo a scan on Thursday afternoon to determine the extent of the damage, which could force him to miss a number of weeks early in the campaign.
James missed the end of last season with a hamstring problem, while he also spent time on the sidelines with a knee injury during the 2022-23 campaign.
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The setback will be hugely concerning for Chelsea, with the club looking to carefully manage a player who only made 16 Premier League appearances last season.
Pochettino's side are due to return to league action against West Ham United on Sunday afternoon, and it appears very likely that the captain will be absent for that contest.
Chelsea will then face Luton Town in the Premier League on August 25 before ending the month with a clash against AFC Wimbledon in the second round of the EFL Cup.
The Blues are also currently without the services of Christopher Nkunku, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah due to injuries.
James's absence could force Pochettino to rethink his formation, with the club's new manager selecting a back five against Liverpool, with the captain and Ben Chilwell in the wing-back areas.
Matt Law
