Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa is hoping to avoid the need to undergo an operation on his troublesome knee.

The injury has kept the full-back out for the past three weeks, with his last appearance coming during the Blues' 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa on October 17.

The Portugal international travelled back to his homeland earlier this week for medical tests on his left knee and is now waiting on the results.

Reports suggest Bosingwa will be forced to go under the knife in order to cure the problem, sidelining him for a further four weeks.

Should that prove to be the case, the 27-year-old could be forced to sit out crunch clashes against Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City, as well as Portugal's World Cup qualifying play-off with Bosnia.

The former Porto man insists there is no guarantee he will require an operation to put things right, but he accepts that he must follow whatever advice he is given.

"It's all up to the doctors, but I'll accept the best solution," Bosingwa said in the Daily Express.