Luiz Felipe Scolari will scour the world to supplement Chelsea's increasingly threadbare strikeforce when the transfer window opens in January.

Like most managers in times of crisis, Scolari has a habit of falling back on players he knows, a policy that could result in Chelsea signing another boy from Brazil. Scolari is known to admire Luís Fabiano, of Seville, and was monitoring the Brazil striker as a potential replacement when Didier Drogba was agitating for a move to AC Milan in the summer.

Scans yesterday revealed that the injury to Drogba's right knee, picked up in the goalless Champions League draw away to CFR Cluj on Wednesday, is not as bad as was first feared. The Ivory Coast forward has twice had surgery on his left knee in less than a year and, although he will not require a third operation, he will be out for several weeks after suffering further ligament damage to knee and ankle. However, Scolari may still move for Fabiano if Drogba's injury problems continue and if Nicolas Anelka's form fails to improve.

Scolari's two signings to date, Deco and Mineiro, were born in Brazil, but it may prove harder to prise Fabiano away from Seville. The 27-year-old signed a new deal last summer that has 3 years to run and, with the Spanish club determined to hang on to their leading scorer, Chelsea would have to pay far more than the £12million buyout clause in his contract.

Fabiano was the second-highest scorer in La Liga last season, with 24 goals in 27 matches, and would bring the added advantage of being eligible for the Champions League.

Scolari is likely to be given the funds to sign the striker he wants in January because Chelsea are eager to make amends for losing out when Robinho moved from Real Madrid to Manchester City instead of Stamford Bridge, and their options up front are limited. Andriy Shevchenko and Claudio Pizarro were allowed to leave without being replaced in the summer, leaving Drogba and Anelka as the club's only recognised strikers.

The Chelsea manager also received encouraging news regarding John Terry and Alex yesterday, with both likely to return to training today after picking up minor injuries in Romania, while Ashley Cole and Joe Cole could be fit to face Aston Villa in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday.

“We will be a little bit thin on strikers for a while,” Frank Lampard, the Chelsea midfield player, said yesterday. “Didier is a massive presence, as a player and as a person. He has been out for a few months over the summer, it was great to get him back and now we might lose him for a while.

“After being out it is not easy. He was waiting to get that rhythm back, he is a top player and this looks like a setback. We have a good squad of players, we have cover, but we certainly can't afford any more injuries in certain areas.”

Drogba's return date is unknown, although he is unlikely to be rushed back. Petr Cech knows all about the frustration caused by a lengthy spell on the sidelines after fracturing his skull two years ago and expressed sympathy for his team-mate.

“The saddest thing is that Didier just overcame an injury, so it will be difficult for him,” the goalkeeper said. “The difficulty when you're out for a long time is always a mental one because you want to be on the pitch and you can't, then you need to work to get back your fitness and it takes time. You need to be patient.”