Reece James' fresh injury boost has come at a good time for everyone at the club including Thomas Tuchel and as a result, a new wing-back signing may not be as hot on the agenda anymore due to this latest update.
James, 22, is set to return to match action for Chelsea at the upcoming Club World Cup, handing Thomas Tuchel a significant boost in the Premier League run-in.
In fact, it may be other competitions that could be the focus now for the returning Cobham graduate with a 10 points gap still prevalent between the Blues and Man City. however, an upcoming Carabao Cup final coupled with runs in the Champions League and FA Cup provides the chance for the former Wigan man to continue where he left off before the Brighton hamstring injury.
According to the Athletic, one of the west Londoners' most potent players in the attacking sense this term is set to return to action at the Club World Cup that is scheduled to kick-off on February 9 in the United Arab Emirates.
With compatriot Ben Chilwell out for the season with ACL damage, having the right sided player back for the latter stages of the 2021/22 campaign not only will help the team out but will also benefit Marina Granovskaia in the transfer market.
There's just under five days left in the market and despite Tuchel's plea for more wing-back cover to help out the ageing Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta, nothing seems close to happening as The Telegraph's Matt Law updated on his social media on Thursday.
football.london understands that attempts to bring back Emerson Palmieri from his loan spell on the continent with Lyon have really faltered with Jean-Michel Aulas not prepared to lose both the Italian and Bruno Guimaraes in the same transfer window, with the latter of the pair close to sealing a move to join the Newcastle United revolution under the Saudis.
Alternatively, the likes of Layvin Kurzawa and Borna Sosa amongst others have appeared as alternatives to an Emerson recall but Tuchel has his reservations on certain targets that he has worked with before or knows not too much about.
However, one man's name who hasn't gone away this month is Barcelona's USMNT star Sergino Dest but despite a lack of game time under Xavi, the defender is keen to fight for his future in Catalunya- a stance that has been recently confirmed by his agent.
"Sergino Is happy in Barcelona," Michael Reschke said. "It is a big club. That's why it is quite unlikely at this moment."
The names of Kenedy, Lewis Hall and the likes of Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi bail Granovskaia out of what could have been a must do situation regarding making a first team signing this month.
Dylan Williams is a man brought in who could be the next James potentially in the long-term future but it looks like the European Champions will not gamble in this situation and will make do with what they have, barring a late and unexpected U-turn.
Instead, despite the American's dream to stay put with the Spanish giants, there has been some talk from the local media in Spain that a swap deal with Borussia Dortmund could be in the works regarding both Thomas Meunier and Dest himself.
