Ben Chilwell is reportedly facing the rest of the season on the sidelines with Chelsea deciding the left-back needs surgery on a knee injury.
The 25-year-old, who joined from Leicester in a £50million deal in 2020, had been in fine form for the Blues before he picked up the injury during November’s 4-0 Champions League victory over Juventus.
Chilwell had to be helped off in the second half of the Stamford Bridge clashGetty 
It’s not clear if Chilwell’s season is overGetty
According to Goal, the club have decided he will need surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which will likely see him miss the rest of the 2021/22 campaign.
Chelsea were prepared to try and let the injury heal naturally but the damage to his knee is worth than first feared and surgery is required, meaning he is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Chilwell had been putting in scintillating displays after taking back the left-back spot from Marcos Alonso.
He scored three goals and picked up an assist in six Premier League outings before he was dealt the cruel injury setback.
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Chilwell had been flying for the Blues this seasongetty 
Tuchel will be disappointed not to have Chilwell again this season but will be comforted to know that he does have options to fill inAFP
His injury has coincided with a poor run of form from the European Champions, who have slipped to third in the Premier League thanks to draws with Everton, Wolves and Manchester United and a defeat to West Ham.
Given the strength in depth Tuchel possesses, he will hope that it will not derail the club’s ambitions of winning a first league title since 2017 as well as retaining the Champions League.
However, the club may now look to recruit a new left-back in January and Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla says Everton’s Lucas Digne is reportedly one of the options.
Digne has fallen out with Rafael Benitez and it’s understood the Toffees would be open to allowing the player to leave on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
The Frenchman, 28, would be a solid player to provide competition for Alonso in Tuchel’s ranks.
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