> Terry out for three weeks

Chelsea captain John Terry will be out of action for up to three weeks after undergoing knee surgery on Friday.

Terry had delayed the operation so he could play in England's Euro 2008 qualifier against Russia, but the defender aggrevated the problem in training before the match in Moscow.

Chelsea have also confirmed that left-back Ashley Cole will be out for around four weeks after injuring his ankle during England's win over Estonia last Saturday.

It is the worst possible preparation for Blues boss Avram Grant ahead of Saturday's match at Middlesbrough, but the Israeli is confident he has a big enough squad to cope.

Tal Ben Haim or Alex will deputise for Terry and Grant said: "JT had an operation today and will be out for two or three weeks. Cole and (Salomon) Kalou) are also injured.

"John tried his best to be available for the national team and then in the last moment of training he got injured again.

"He needed the operation today and I hope everything will be well.

"Chelsea is not a one-man team but JT is important for the team. I don't want him to be injured but it has happened and there is a big squad to play and win games without him, although I prefer to do it with him."

Grant also has to cope with the fall-out from Didier Drogba's revelation that he is determined to leave Stamford Bridge because the club's morale has been shattered by Jose Mourinho's departure last month.

Drogba is adamant that nothing can persuade him to stay beyond the end of this season, leaving Grant to deal with an unsettled star for several months.

The Blues boss admitted he wasn't especially surprised by Drogba's emotional outburst but he refused to give a response until he has spoken to the player himself.

"I know that it is not the first time that he said it but I haven't seen him yet," Grant said.

"I can't tell you anything before I speak with him. I can't tell you something because I read it in the paper. I need to discuss it with him."

With Terry and Cole already out and the majority of the squad gradually returning from all corners of the globe on international duty, Grant admits the Middlesbrough match will be a big test of his team's powers of recovery.

He said: "I am worried about fatigue. That is why the training today is very important. We want to see the players' condition; who is fresh, who is not fresh.

"We are happy we have so many players in the national teams but we have had a bad experience in the past when players come back after the break."

Terry had delayed the operation so he could play in England's Euro 2008 qualifier against Russia, but the defender aggrevated the problem in training before the match in Moscow.