Chelsea star out for longer than expected and could miss 2022 FIFA World Cup squad - Reports

Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante has reportedly been ruled out of action for the next five matches after relapsing from his hamstring injury.

Kante, 31, has been out on the sidelines for two months after suffering an injury during his team's 2-2 Premier League home draw against Tottenham Hotspur in August. After undergoing regular rehab sessions with the club's medical staff, he returned to training at the end of last month.

Speaking ahead of his team's recent 2-0 UEFA Champions League win at AC Milan on Tuesday (11 October), Blues manager Graham Potter shed light on Kante's injury (via Mirror):

"On N'Golo, we are waiting on a reaction in training, and we're waiting for the news on that. It is not ideal and certainly disappointing for both him and for us. So, we have to wait and see the extent and then go from there."

According to L'Equipe, Kante suffered a relapse during his recovery and is expected to miss another four to five matches for Chelsea. He is also in danger of missing out on France's 2022 FIFA World Cup squad, with the competition scheduled to start in mid-November.

So far, Kante has missed a whopping 10 matches for the Blues this season and is yet to play a single minute under Potter. He has made just two Premier League appearances in the ongoing campaign.

In his absence, the west London outfit are expected to continue utilizing Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Conor Gallagher at the heart of midfield. Meanwhile, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic are set to be in the starting lineup for the upcoming clashes across all competitions.

A combative defensive midfielder, Kante has been a crucial first-team starter for the Blues since arriving from Leicester City for £32 million in 2016. He has helped the club lift six trophies during his time at Stamford Bridge, registering 13 goals and 15 assists in 262 matches.

Chelsea are currently fourth in the 2022-23 Premier League standings with 16 points from eight games. The club are next scheduled to lock horns with Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday (16 October).

Chelsea star Reece James set to miss Aston Villa clash with knee injury

According to the Evening Standard, Chelsea are set to be without star right-back Reece James during their upcoming trip to Villa Park due to a recent knee injury sustained at AC Milan. The Englishman is expected to return in time to face either Brentford on Wednesday (19 October) or Manchester United on Saturday (22 October).

So far, James has netted two goals and contributed as many assists in 11 games across all competitions for the Blues this campaign.