Harambee Stars defender Collins Sichenje has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2026-2027 season after undergoing knee surgery following an injury suffered in Charlton Athletic’s Carabao Cup clash against Tottenham Hotspur.The latest setback represents another cruel twist in what has been a difficult start to life in England for the towering Kenyan centre-back. Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsCharlton confirmed the development in a statement on the club’s website, revealing that Sichenje has already undergone surgery and will now begin the rehabilitation process under the supervision of the club’s medical team.“Collins Sichenje is set to miss the remainder of the 2026-2027 season with a knee injury sustained during the Addicks' Carabao Cup tie at Tottenham Hotspur.The defender has undergone successful surgery and will now commence his rehabilitation with the club's medical staff.”The 22-year-old sustained the injury during Charlton's second-round Carabao Cup encounter at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, bringing his involvement in the match to an abrupt end after just 14 minutes.##NAJAVA_MECA_936871##Sichenje went down following an early challenge involving Tottenham forward Mathys Tel and, despite initially attempting to continue, was eventually forced off and replaced by Dan McNamara. Charlton were subsequently dealt another defensive blow when Billy Koumetio was also forced off in the same period.The Addicks went on to suffer a heavy 5-1 defeat, with: Mikey Moore, Dominic Solanke, Kevin Danso, Sávio and Ben Davies finding the net for Tottenham before Lloyd Jones pulled one back for Charlton.Gor Mahia charged for violent incidences witnessed after Super Cup loss to TuskerCharlton head coach Nathan Jones described the injury as a difficult moment for both the player and the club, while promising that the defender will receive full support during his rehabilitation.“It’s a tough injury for Collins and everyone at the club. He underwent surgery this week, which went well, but he’ll be out for an extended period. Our thoughts are with him, and we’ll be supporting him every step of the way during his recovery. He’s a resilient character and we know he’ll come back stronger.”The injury is particularly unfortunate given that Sichenje had only recently managed to put his previous fitness struggles behind him and had started the new campaign hoping to play a more prominent role.TACTICAL ANALYSIS: Akonnor’s Gor Mahia vs Mokwena’s Pyramids and the tactical battle that could decide everythingSichenje joined Charlton on 2 February, 2026, from Serbian SuperLiga side FK Vojvodina, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract after the Addicks had monitored him for an extended period.His introduction to English football, however, was interrupted by injuries.After making his Charlton debut against Southampton on 21 February and playing 89 minutes, Sichenje featured again against West Bromwich Albion before starting against Wrexham on 28 February. It was during the 1-0 defeat to Wrexham that he suffered his first major injury setback at the club, lasting 77 minutes before being forced off.The problem was subsequently identified as a hamstring injury, keeping him out for around seven weeks and forcing him to miss a string of Championship matches. CAF 'unimpressed' by state of Kasarani Stadium, training facilities ahead of 2027 AFCONSichenje eventually returned on 18 April against Sheffield Wednesday, coming off the bench for his first appearance in almost two months. He then went on and played the full minutes against Ipswich Town four days later, suggesting that he had successfully navigated the rehabilitation process.But his comeback was short-lived.On 25 April, Sichenje started against Hull City but lasted only 28 minutes before being forced off with another muscle problem. Charlton won the match 2-1 to secure their Championship survival, but the injury ruled the Kenyan out of the final match of the campaign against Swansea City. He subsequently spent the summer working his way back to full fitness, with Jones providing an encouraging update in August and confirming that the defender had made positive progress after the late-April setback.Sichenje entered the 2026-2027 campaign fully recovered and was gradually being integrated into Jones' plansHe featured in Charlton's opening competitive fixtures against Cheltenham Town, Derby County and West Ham United before finally earning a starting berth against Tottenham.Emerging Starlets storm CECAFA semis as boys bow outThe timing is also a blow to Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy, with Sichenje now unavailable for Kenya's upcoming international assignments and likely the forthcoming CAF African Cup Of Nations 2027 championship. Harambee Stars are scheduled to face Eritrea and Guinea in the opening rounds of the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign, although the country has already secured a place at the tournament as one of the co-hosts.