Mauricio Pochettino has tipped Chelsea captain Reece James to reassert himself as one of the Premier League’s top stars next season, despite having to start next term suspended.
Chelsea and England full-back James has managed just 11 Blues appearances in an injury-ravaged campaign and must sit out Sunday’s season-closing clash with Bournemouth.
The 24-year-old was sent off in Wednesday’s 2-1 league win at Brighton, and must now cope with a four-game ban for what was a second red card of the season. That will roll into next term, adding another level of frustration and setback for James, who had to resort to surgery in December to fix his chronic hamstring problems.
But Chelsea boss Pochettino has no doubts about James’ ability to return to the sport’s very summit and pledged that the Blues will offer plenty of pastoral care to help that happen.
“It has obviously been a very difficult season for Reece but now we need to help him move on, to accept the punishment that for sure will be there,” said Pochettino. “The most important thing now is that we back him, we trust in him and that we help him to be ready for pre-season, to start to train and build his fitness.
“Then the talent is there for sure that next season he’s going to be one of the best players again in the Premier League.”
One Chelsea star who will be on show against the Cherries at Stamford Bridge on Sunday though is Brazil great Thiago Silva.
The 39-year-old was only meant to stay at Chelsea for one season but has ended up staying for four, and his impact in west London has been so sizeable that not only has he gained a new cult following in a corner of the English capital, but he is also wanted back in the future.
Silva will make an emotional return to boyhood club Fluminense this summer, having signed a two-year deal to extend his already remarkable playing career beyond his 40th birthday.
The 113-cap Brazil defender has made more than 150 Blues appearances, helping Chelsea to the Champions League, Club World Cup and European Super Cup titles.
Silva wants to move into coaching when he eventually hangs up his boots, and both club and player have already talked about him joining the Stamford Bridge backroom in future.
Chelsea are also understood to have plans to add another centre-back as a direct replacement for Silva this summer.
Before all that though, Chelsea’s fans will display a tribute banner to him in the Stamford Bridge stands before kick-off on Sunday. And manager Pochettino admitted the evergreen defender will leave a sizeable hole at Stamford Bridge.
“We are of course going to miss Thiago,” said Pochettino. “He has always been fantastic, his whole career, but also in Chelsea too, and we are definitely going to miss him. It is always difficult when a big character leaves the club but we will also wish him all the best for the future and are extremely grateful to him.”
