Emmanuel Emegha and Jamie Gittens are unavailable for Chelsea's visit to Everton, the club confirmed on October 16. Xabi Alonso also discussed Reece James' knee surgery without setting a specific return date.
Two attackers remain unavailable
Emegha felt a minor issue in the previous training session and is not fully ready for the match. Alonso expects training work the following week, which does not itself confirm immediate match fitness.
The summer arrival from Strasbourg has yet to make his Chelsea debut. The coach highlighted his speed, height and movement into space as qualities that could help once he is available.
Gittens was injured with England U21s. Alonso described a further absence of several weeks but gave no fixed comeback date.
Support continues for the captain
James sustained a knee injury in training and has undergone surgery described by Alonso as successful. The manager said the captain would be out for several weeks while avoiding a firm timeline.
The announcement does not confirm external speculation about three months or an absence lasting into 2027. It establishes the operation and continued rehabilitation.
Alonso expects James to remain close to the squad because of his leadership influence. That is an assessment of his off-field role while unavailable.
Chelsea's preceding 5-1 win over Bournemouth supplies context for the Everton preparation. The coach reported no other fresh concerns, but that does not remove established absences or announce the starting lineup for the away match.