Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has said he will be without Reece James for at least a “few weeks”.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Pochettino admitted that the defender’s injury setback was a “sad moment” for the club.

James, who is the Blues’ new captain, suffered a hamstring injury in training this week.

The Blues are already without Christopher Nkunku and Wesley Fofana, who have both suffered serious injuries.

When asked for an update on James’ fitness, Pochettino said: “It’s a sad moment because he’s our captain, and he was so excited by that. He was full of energy.

“I think we’re going to assess him day by day. Hopefully, he can come back soon and be stronger than he was.

“He will not be back in a few days. It will be a few weeks. It’s not a big issue, but the most important thing is that we sort out the problem and he can come back.”