Chelsea are optimistic Wesley Fofana will be able to return to action before next month's World Cup, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The £200,000 per-week defender suffered a knee injury in the Champions League home game with AC Milan earlier this month and Phillips rated his chances of playing before Qatar as "touch and go".

What's the latest news involving Fofana?

Chelsea have coped well in Fofana's absence, securing 3-0 wins over Milan and Wolves before beating the Italian champions for a second time in the space of seven days on Tuesday.

GiveMeSport The Verdict

But with a game every three or four days before the season pauses in mid-November, Fofana's injury will reduce Graham Potter's options at centre-back, especially with Reece James' setback potentially forcing Cesar Azpilicueta to move to right wing-back.

According to L'Equipe, which was then also confirmed by Daily Telegraph journalist Matt Law, Fofana is only expected to be out for another three weeks or so.

What did Phillips say about Fofana?

Asked whether the ex-Leicester centre-back has any chance of playing before the World Cup, he told GIVEMESPORT: "It's a little touch and go right now and it will depend on his recovery when he returns to group training, but there is some hope that he will play, coming from Chelsea."

Which games could Fofana miss?

In any normal season, missing three or four weeks wouldn't be the end of the world, especially with an international break usually on the horizon.

But with games coming thick and fast due to the showpiece in Qatar, Fofana being out for around a month could keep him sidelined for eight matches.

He's already missed the meetings with Wolves and AC Milan and looks pretty certain to sit out the Premier League games against Aston Villa, Brentford, Manchester United and Brighton in October.

Fofana also looks likely to be unavailable for the trip to RB Salzburg in Chelsea's penultimate Champions League clash, but if he stays on track with his comeback, the home game with Dinamo Zagreb, which is exactly four weeks to the day he sustained the injury, is a possible return date.

On the other hand, any sort of setback could see Fofana end up missing around 12 fixtures in total.