Source: PA
Injuries could force Blues to buy in January
Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti has admitted that long-term injuries to captain John Terry and Brazilian defender Alex may force him to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window.
Terry and Alex both missed the 3-0 home defeat by Sunderland last Sunday. Terry has struggled all season with a nerve problem in his right leg and he travelled to Italy to see a specialist recommended by Ancelotti in midweek.
Terry is understood to be feeling slightly better but is still not pain-free enough to be considered for the trip to Birmingham.
Alex meanwhile, has postponed surgery on his knee problem in order to play against Birmingham.
When asked if he would move into the transfer market if both players were sidelined for a long spell, Ancelotti replied: "It depends what happens with Alex and in the next few days with John Terry. Obviously, if both players are not able to play for a long time, I think we have to think about this. But just in that case.
"There's a muscle on John's leg, the piriformis muscle, and the nerve moves, so he feels pain. We have to work on this problem. It's not true that he'll be out `for a month'. He went to Italy because I recommended him to go. He was the best doctor for the back and I worked with him for years."
