Matt Law reveals Chelsea player could be out for months after Xabi Alonso’s ‘slip of the tongue’

According to a report by Football London on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, Chelsea winger Jamie Gittens could be sidelined for months after manager Xabi Alonso appeared to accidentally reveal the severity of his injury, according to journalist Matt Law.

Law believes Alonso’s choice of words during a press conference suggested that Gittens could face a longer absence than initially expected.

The 21-year-old sustained an ankle injury while representing England Under-21s in September and was subsequently seen using crutches.

Alonso initially suggested last week that the winger would be out for a few weeks. However, Law, speaking on the London Is Blue podcast, recalled that the Chelsea manager briefly used a different timeframe before correcting himself.

“Having been in Alonso’s press conference last week, there was a little slip of the tongue where he said ‘months’ and then changed it into weeks,” Law said.

The journalist added: “I thought, hmmm. He did say it was a bad one. That slip of the tongue perked my ears to be honest with you, I suspect he’s out for a little while.”

Chelsea have yet to establish a publicly confirmed return date for Gittens, leaving uncertainty over when the winger will be available again.

The injury adds to Alonso’s fitness concerns during the opening weeks of the 2026/27 campaign. Reece James is also sidelined with a knee problem, although Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, Jordan Henderson and Marco Palestra have returned to fitness.

Gittens had struggled to secure regular playing time before his injury. He has yet to feature in the Premier League this season, having made only limited appearances in other competitions.

Chelsea also rejected a late approach from Roma to sign the former Borussia Dortmund winger on loan before the injury setback.

The club had considered Gittens part of Alonso’s plans, but his recovery period could affect his opportunities to establish himself in the first team.