Reece James has suffered another setback in training. “It’s a hamstring, muscular problem” said Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca. This was revealed in the pre-Leicester City press conference, in which the Italian will return to his former club where he wo the 2023-24 EFL championship.
This hamstring injury will be the Chelsea captains eighth hamstring injury since 2020. The 24-year-old missed a large part of last season through injury as he went through surgery for the hamstring injury he sustained last season. As well as this, he has also sustained multiple other injuries to his Knee, Thigh and Ankle. James has been absent at games via illness as well as the injuries.
James returned to first-team action last month and has already picked up another injury which will frustrate the England full-back. Maresca has played down talks of James being on the side lines for a long period of time however it has been confirmed by the Chelsea medical team that he will miss Saturdays encounter with Maresca’s former club Leicester City Football Club.
Prior to his return to action in a 2-1 defeat to Liverpool last month, this was the first time James was able to play a full 90-minute match in 562 days in the Premier League. Since James broke into the first-team squad through the academy in the 2019-20 season, The full-backs best run is six matches, this was achieved in May 2021. The most starts the Chelsea captain has had in a single season is two. Last season he managed just 482 minutes in total because of injuries as well as receiving two red cards.
Reece James will want to put the previous Injuries behind him and focus on recovering and getting back to full fitness and playing regularly for Chelsea as these injuries continue to occur. James has not been involved in the England set up since March 2023 and the injuries appear to be having an affect on his international career as well as for his club.
In pre-season training this year in the USA when he was asked what his aim is for this season he replied “I have one goal. My goal is to stay on the pitch”. James will be hoping that after this supposed minor injury set back, he will kickstart his career this season and help to maintain Chelsea’s impressive start to the season under Enzo Maresca.