Chelsea have confirmed club captain Reece James has undergone successful surgery on a knee injury.

The 26-year-old missed Chelsea's 5-1 win over AFC Bournemouth on October 10 after sustaining an injury in training ahead of the Premier League fixture.

Now the extent of James' injury layoff has been revealed, with the club confirming in a statement on Friday that the England international has undergone surgery.

"Captain Reece James has undergone successful minor knee surgery," the statement read.

"The 26-year-old was absent from Saturday’s 5-1 victory over Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge while medical assessments took place following the injury suffered in training. Those assessments confirmed surgery would be the required course of action.

"Reece has already begun his road to recovery and will be supported by the club's medical department at Cobham during this rehabilitation phase.

"Everyone at Chelsea wishes Reece a speedy recovery and will support him on his road to return."

James' last appearance for Chelsea came on September 12 in the 2-2 draw against Hull City. He was absent for the 3-0 defeat to Brentford before the international break due to a minor hamstring injury.

It forced him to miss the international break and instead focus on his recovery, but now another blow has been confirmed. 

Chelsea will now look to ensure James' road to recovery is carefully managed to ensure he is not rushed back prematurely to reduce the risk of a further setback.

The big news for Chelsea is that Moises Caicedo has returned. He is their star midfielder and his comeback against Bournemouth is now an even bigger boost with James' absence.

Chelsea have Jordan Henderson, Romeo Lavia and Valentin Barco all available as midfield options.

Henderson impressed with Caicedo against Bournemouth, which saw the 36-year-old net a brace against the Cherries in spectacular fashion, including one from a well-designed free-kick.

Lavia's availability this season after years of consecutive injuries has been a boost for the Blues. He has proven to be a strong option for Xabi Alonso should the Belgian be required.

Meanwhile, Barco has featured in three of Chelsea's six league matches so far this season. 

With four games left to play in October - Everton, Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United - Alonso will be calling upon his squad to minimise the impact of James' setback.