Chelsea are ready to make a defensive midfield signing next month.

The London Evening Standard says Chelsea will make signing a defensive midfielder one of their top priorities next month following the news that Oriol Romeu has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Romeu, who came off in the first half of Chelsea's 3-1 win at Sunderland, was told his campaign is over after having anterior cruciate reconstruction surgery yesterday.

The news has handed coach Rafael Benitez a major problem because he was already desperately short of defensive midfielders.

John Obi Mikel is the only other member of the squad who considers it his specialised position, although Ramires, Oscar and Frank Lampard have played in front of the back four this season.

To make matters worse, Mikel could be missing for up to a month in the new year as he will be representing Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations in Zambia.