Andriy Shevchenko's miserable season at Chelsea has been hit by fresh mystery after it emerged that he would have groin surgery today, meaning he will miss the FA Cup final against Manchester United.

Initially it had been stated that the Ukrainian would have his operation at the end of the season but it has been confirmed that he has played his last game of this campaign.

The Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, is understood to have felt that Shevchenko had exaggerated the effects of the injury, which forced him to miss last week's Champions League semi-final second leg against Liverpool.

Chelsea, though, insist that the decision to bring forward the

operation has been made by the club's medical staff, who judge that further games now could risk more serious damage.

Shevchenko's absence for the rest of the season places further strain on Mourinho's squad, who were without Didier Drogba for Sunday's 1-1 draw against Arsenal because of an ankle injury. Chelsea face Manchester United tomorrow and then complete their league season at home to Everton on Sunday.

Shevchenko has been dogged by difficulties since his £30m move from Milan last summer and has scored only 14 goals all season. His signing is widely believed to have been initiated by Roman Abramovich and Shevchenko has been frustrated by the lack of support he has received from Mourinho.

Drogba has been the Chelsea manager's preferred striker and his treatment of Shevchenko is widely

believed to have contributed to his strained relationship with the club's Russian owner. The situation became so bad in January that it emerged that Abramovich wanted the Portsmouth technical director, Avram Grant, to be brought in to work directly with Shevchenko. That idea was strongly resisted by Mourinho, although Grant may still arrive at the end of the season in the position of director of football.

Shevchenko has been linked with a move back to Milan this summer and there were reports last night that Chelsea have agreed to sign Reading's Steve Sidwell. The former Arsenal midfielder is out of contract in June and has been coveted by clubs including Newcastle United.

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Sidwell's arrival would raise questions about the futures of Claude Makelele and Michael Ballack, though Mourinho will need central midfield cover in the middle of next season because Mikel John Obi and Michael Essien are expected to go the African Nations Cup in Ghana.