Chelsea defender Silva suffers knee ligament damage

Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva has suffered damage to his knee ligaments, the club have confirmed.

Silva was substituted after just 19 minutes in Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Tottenham.

The Blues did not commit to a timeframe of recovery, though reports have suggested the 38-year-old Brazilian could be absent for up to six weeks.

"Having sustained a knee injury during the first half of Sunday's match against Tottenham Hotspur, Thiago underwent further assessment and a scan on his return to the training centre on Monday," a club statement read.

"Scan results from those assessments have confirmed damage to Thiago's knee ligaments and he will now work closely with the club's medical department during his rehabilitation to return to action as soon as possible."

It is the latest blow in a difficult period for Graham Potter's side, who sit 10th in the Premier League having lost their last three games, not won in six and only triumphed in two of their last 15 outings.

Silva – who has made 109 appearances for Chelsea since arriving in 2020 – signed a new deal with the club earlier this month until the end of the 2023-24 season.