Chelsea star Reece James on course to return from injury ahead of the Club World Cup
According to The Athletic (Subscription Required), Chelsea defender Reece James is set to return to the first-team squad and has a chance of being named in the squad for the FIFA Club World Cup next month. The Englishman has been out of action since suffering a hamstring injury at the end of December.
James has been one of the club’s standout players this season and has established himself as a tour de force down the right flank as the Chelsea youth product put in solid shifts in both attack and defence. Although the Blues had ever-reliable captain Cesar Azpilicueta covering for him, the Spaniard could not recreate James’ energy and creativity on the pitch, despite doing a fine job himself.
Although a return for the England international in the FA Cup Fourth Round tie early in February is likely to be too soon, James is touted to make a comeback in time for the FIFA Club World Cup. The tournament will be held in Abu Dhabi, with Chelsea facing off against Al Hilal SFC, Al Jazira, or Auckland City FC in the semi-final.
James is likely to rejoin training with the senior squad soon, with the club hoping that he will be fully fit in time for the knock-out stages of the Champions League, where Chelsea go up against Ligue 1 champions Lille. They are also due to meet Liverpool in the EFL Cup Final, as the Blues aim to win a trophy very early in the season.
James’s absence has seen coach Thomas Tuchel contemplate bringing a defender in the January transfer market to cover for the Englishman but to no avail. The German will be ecstatic to get the player back into contention for first-team action and hope that he reproduces the performance levels he showcased before being sidelined.
The 22-year-old began doing individual drills last week. Unlike most of his teammates who have gone abroad on holiday during the winter break, he is continuing to work on his fitness at the club’s base in Cobham. After such a long time out, James will be itching to get back on the pitch and play for his boyhood club once again.
In what was a busy winter schedule for the Blues, James missed seven games since his injury, as Chelsea saw their early title charge go up in smoke during the defender’s absence.
The Cobham product’s solidity at the back was sorely missed as we ended up conceding cheap goals and looking slightly disorganised when attacked. His absence also stripped Chelsea of a marauding attacking presence on the wings.
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Tuchel was managing a defensive crisis in the midst of all this, juggling player contract negotiations, injuries, and Covid concerns, which did not help our squad at all during this tough winter period. James’ return will come as a major boon for Chelsea heading into the business end of the season.
Hopefully, James will continue from where he left off and establish himself as the finest young fullback in the game today.