Chelsea will once again be sweating over the fitness of defender Reece James ahead of their tie against Aston Villa later this week. The right-back has been a key player since bursting into the first-team a few years ago, but his absences have begun to cause concerns as they become more and more frequent.
The 23-year-old has often impressed with his defensive capabilities alongside his ability to carry the ball up the field and cause problems in an attacking sense. It comes as little coincidence that the Blues have experienced dips in form over recent seasons after James was sidelined for a period of time.
"I think Reece is just a fantastic player, and he’s a young player, so he’s developing all the time," head coach Graham Potter said on the Cobham academy graduate earlier this season. "He’ll get better and better as we go. I’ve really enjoyed working with him, he’s got a lot to offer, he’s fantastic.
