Chelsea are braced to be without Eden Hazard when they begin the defence of their Premier League title in August after the Belgium forward returned to London to undergo surgery on a fractured right ankle.

Hazard, 26, sustained the injury when he caught his studs in the turf while shooting in training with Belgium in Tubize on Sunday and had the operation on Monday afternoon having flown back to England. There is some relief that the forward, who was scanned by the national side and has since been assessed by Chelsea’s medical staff, appears to have sustained only minimal ligament damage.

However, the initial prognosis suggests Hazard will be absent for up to three months, seriously jeopardising his chances of starting the new season, which begins on 12 August. This is the first bone break he has sustained in his professional career, potentially complicating estimates over his recovery time, but it is clear the playmaker’s participation in a pre-season which will take Chelsea to the Far East has effectively been ruled out.

“Hazard broke a bone in his lower ankle, luckily not his shin,” the Belgium team doctor, Kris Van Crombrugge, said. “Ligaments usually get torn with this kind of injury, but on the scan we saw minimal ligament damage. It’s very limited, which means his recovery will be smooth. It will be fine, for the full 100%. In three months he should be fully recovered. Eden knows that is very realistic. He remains optimistic, even after this injury. He will return as a top player: in three months he will play again with a perfect ankle.”

Everything went well with my ankle operation, now I start the road to recovery! I will be stronger. Thank you for your support!! pic.twitter.com/aokirnytkW — Eden hazard (@hazardeden10) June 5, 2017

The player, who scored 16 league goals last term, will undergo his rehabilitation at Cobham and is expected to enter talks over a new contract, despite having three years to run on his £200,000-a-week deal. There has been longstanding interest in him from Real Madrid, with Hazard admitting over the weekend that he “would consider” any offer, though he is settled with his family in Surrey and Chelsea are not interested in a sale.

The player Hazard does not operate with an agent but while formal discussions have yet to begin on new terms worth around £300,000 a week, all parties anticipate agreement being reached. The manager, Antonio Conte, is also expected to sign a contract extension to 2021 on improved terms in the next few weeks having claimed the Premier League title and reached the FA Cup final in his first campaign in England.