The club confirmed the news today after the England international missed Chelsea's last two league games - a 3-0 defeat by Brentford and a 5-1 win over Bournemouth - amid growing concerns over his latest injury setback.
Xabi Alonso offered a positive update on his skipper as James' rehabliaton period starts immediately.
"We're disappointed for him. He wanted to have a good start after the international break, but he picked up an injury.
"The surgery has been successful. We're supporting him.
"We won’t set timelines, but we expect him to be out for several weeks.
"It’s not going to be short. Whether it’s before or after Christmas, time will tell. It needs to be done properly.
"We have a big squad to deal with injuries. We have four more games until the next break, so I think we can manage well with the players that we have."