Chelsea captain Reece James has confirmed he has had hamstring surgery but has hit out at the "hate and negativity" surrounding his latest injury.
The defender picked up the hamstring injury in this month's 2-0 defeat at Everton that forced him off in the 27th minute.
The England international is now set for another lengthy spell on the sidelines after already missing two months of the season following an injury in August
It is James' third longer-term hamstring problem within the last 12 months which prompted negative and abusive messages from fans towards the full-back.
James said on Instagram: "The footballing world knew I got injured but the procedure I would go down this time took slightly longer to figure out the best solution.
"I had surgery today to try fix my reoccurring hamstring issue, the recovery has started, both physically and mentally. Since this injury, I've had a good amount of support but significantly more hate and negativity.
"Believe me I don't want to be injured, l'm happiest when I'm playing football. Thanks to the understanding people that support me despite the highs or the lows, it goes a long way. Stay well."
