Kante was forced off 10 minutes before the break in France’s 1-0 win over Bulgaria on Saturday and has already been ruled out of their final group game against Belarus on Tuesday night.
Chelsea have already lost star striker Alvaro Morata to a hamstring injury, although they are hopeful the damage is not as bad as first feared after the Spanish FA’s medical staff claimed he could be facing up to six weeks on the sidelines.
Kante, who has only missed Chelsea’s Carabao Cup win over Nottingham Forest his season, will be assessed at Chelsea’s Cobham training base today, although no risks will be taken with the midfielder with Antonio Conte’s side entertaining Roma in the Champions League next Wednesday.
Kante’s absence will open the door for his former Leicester team-mate Danny Drinkwater to make his Chelsea debut in the trip across London to Selhurst Park.
Drinkwater, a £35m summer buy, has been working his way back to fitness from a calf injury and Conte had already pencilled him for a return to action after the international break.
Conte will hope Drinkwater can hit the ground running, especially if the hugely influential Kante is facing a lengthier period on the sidelines.
Drinkwater is likely to be on the bench against Palace, with Cesc Fabregas and Tiemoue Bakayoko starting in central midfield.
