Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has provided a fresh injury update on two instrumental players, who’ve had little to no action this season.

Lauren James has been sidelined since October after sustaining a calf injury playing for the Blues in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

The incident also ruled her out of both England’s most recent international breaks, which saw them come up against Germany, South Africa, the U.S. women’s national team and Switzerland.

Despite claims the 23-year-old would likely make a return ahead of Chelsea’s Women’s Super League clash with Brighton this weekend, Bompastor revealed to media on Friday that “it’ll be difficult to see her before the end of the year”.

“She’s in a good position mentally,” she said. “We are expecting her to be able to play with us in January. I knew from the beginning that it was going to be longer than six weeks, I was just trying to be optimistic. I knew it would be difficult for her to come back before January.

“She is progressing. I saw her on the pitch, and she’s starting to run and touch the ball, so it’s a good sign and she will be fresh for January for sure.”

The five-time WSL title winners are sitting top of the table, five points ahead of Manchester City, as the 2024/25 campaign nears the halfway mark. It was clear from the start that the team had maintained their high standards under the new stewardship of Bompastor after the exit of Emma Hayes.

However, they have remained without striker Sam Kerr in the process. The 31-year-old tore her anterior cruciate ligament in January, seeing her miss the second half of the 2023/24 campaign as well as every game this current season.

Although Bompastor hinted in November that Kerr could be back in training by the end of the calendar year, she has since said that won’t happen.

“We are looking to have Sam back with us either in February or March,” explained Bompastor. “She didn’t start training yet, even being modified in the group. She’s still in her individual process of rehabilitation and I think it will take at least two or three months for her to be fit enough to be with the squad.”

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