(Reuters) - Leicester City midfielder Matty James has had surgery on his Achilles tendon and will miss the rest of the season, manager Claude Puel said on Thursday.
James, a versatile player who can slot into defence when required, has been limited to 13 league appearances this season with another two coming in the FA Cup.
"Matty James had surgery on his Achilles tendon. He will not be available for the rest of this season," Puel told a news conference on Thursday.
"He will be ready for next season. It is not a big problem but he now needs patience and time to recover," the French manager added.
On Saturday Leicester, who are eighth, are at home to Newcastle, who are 12th, and Puel expects Rafa Benitez's promoted side to be more adventurous as they move towards retaining their top-flight status.
"He (Benitez) made a great job all of the season. It's always difficult for a team to go down to the Championship and come back up one season after.
"I think they are clear now. They are safe in the Premier League and that's fantastic for Newcastle. They can play with freedom against us," he said.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Bolton)
