Chelsea defender Reece James ruled out for rest of season with hamstring injury

Chelsea caretaker manager Frank Lampard has confirmed that right-back Reece James will miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

The Blues, who face Brentford at home in the Premier League on Wednesday, could also be without Mason Mount for the rest of the campaign. The midfielder will be sidelined after undergoing surgery for a pelvic issue.

James picked up the injury during last week’s Champions League quarter-final defeat by Real Madrid. He managed to finish the match against the European champions at Stamford Bridge but later underwent a scan that showed the extent of the problem.

The defender has been one of Chelsea’s best performers this season, but his fitness woes have limited him to 16 Premier League starts and he has been unable to string together a run of games since missing the World Cup with England last year.

Lampard, who has lost all four of his matches since taking temporary charge, said: “Reece James is unavailable. Probably for the season. Mason Mount probably the same. Potential for the last game of the season but probably not. Kai [Havertz] won't be available tomorrow.

“It’s a blow for all of us because they’re big players. Reece has a hamstring injury he picked up in the Madrid game, he got through the game but we scanned it in the following days.

“Mason has been carrying this pelvic injury for quite a while, it definitely predates myself. Medical staff have been trying, but we’ve got to a stage where he will have minor surgery.

“It’ll probably be a four-week recovery and we all know where that gets us to.”

Lampard refused to comment on stories that former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino is in advanced talks to take over as Chelsea manager.

“I’m not going