Chelsea’s Reece James is facing another spell on the sidelines despite only recently returning from a hamstring injury.
James is the product of Chelsea’s academy and is a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge despite his lack of playing time. The hamstring injury has persisted for the 24-year-old, which he returned from after the October international break.
The Englishman featured three times after returning, mainly in cameo appearances against Arsenal and Liverpool, but he was forced off in the Blues’ 2-1 win over Leicester City this past weekend.
Chelsea right-back out until the New Year.
According to an update provided by GiveMeSport sources, the right-back is set to miss at least a further ten games for Maresca’s side, but scans on the injury have been positive despite there not being a solid timeframe for his return. James is not expected to return before their meeting with Crystal Palace in early January, leaving him absent for key clashes such as Aston Villa and Tottenham.
The fresh injury causes concern again for James and his fitness, with the right-back missing almost two years of action for the club now. Since undergoing surgery on his hamstring at the start of the 2021/22 season, the 24-year-old has missed more games than he has played, missing 98 games while he has played 76.
Where does Reece James’ future at Chelsea lie?
Missing ten games makes the injury sound worse than it is in some regards, given it is over this festive period when the schedule begins to get busy for clubs like Chelsea, a side competing in Europe. In truth, it sees a little over a month out for James, but with over 100 games missed for the club, there is still room for concern.
Malo Gusto has been filling in at right-back for the side, but with the Frenchman now also injured, it raises a dilemma for Enzo Maresca and his side. Reece James has a contract at Stamford Bridge until 2028, leaving a hefty amount on their salary bill, you would imagine.
Former Watford striker Troy Deeney warned of the similarities that James poses to Jack Wilshere, whose potential was not reached due to a similar injury record. The former Arsenal midfielder eventually found himself at Bournemouth on a pay-as-you-play contract.
According to TBR Football, James has emerged as an alternative to Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, with Chelsea weighing up whether they should retain the 24-year-old’s services. Any deal would potentially be heavily incentivised through performance-based clauses if he could stay fit.
That could prove to be risky if his injury record was to continue in the manner it has followed in recent years. However, if Real Madrid were to see a fully fit version of the right-back, they could have a fantastic player on their hands.