Graham Potter has insisted N'Golo Kante's four-month injury lay-off will not affect any new contract talks with Chelsea.
Kante's latest hamstring problem requires surgery, ruling the France talisman out of the Qatar World Cup.
The World Cup-winning midfielder's Stamford Bridge contract expires next summer, and a string of hamstring and knee problems have ravaged his last three years in west London.
Chelsea are understood to be chasing new midfield recruits in January and the summer, but manager Potter insisted the Blues' only focus now is to help Kante recover from his latest setback.