Reece James injured again as Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca confirms latest blow for Blues captain

Reece James has endured a rotten fewer seasons with Chelsea arsenic injuries support him constricted to the sidelines and the defender has present been ruled retired up of this weekend’s crippled against Leicester

Enzo Maresca has issued a worrying update connected Reece James - and is unclear connected erstwhile helium could return.

The Chelsea right-back has endured a precise tricky mates of seasons precocious owed to changeless wounded issues. James, 24, has made a combined 30 Premier League appearances implicit the past two-and-a-half campaigns.

The England defender - besides Chelsea’s skipper - looked to beryllium connected the comeback way aft appearing successful each of the Blues’ past 4 games. He had besides started 3 of those games.

But James is present acceptable to beryllium restricted to the sidelines yet again aft picking up a hamstring wounded up of this weekend’s clash with Maresca’s erstwhile nine Leicester. Speaking successful his pre-match property conference, the Italian said: “We person conscionable 1 injured player, that is Reece. Unfortunately helium felt thing tiny and we don't privation to instrumentality immoderate risks for the weekend.

Asked what the contented was, Maresca replied: “Hamstring. It's a muscular problem. We don't privation to instrumentality immoderate risks for this weekend. Hopefully it's not thing long.”

And asked however agelong James could beryllium retired for, the Chelsea brag did not connection a promising insight. Maresca added: “He felt something, helium has to beryllium out. For sure, this play and past we'll see. We don't cognize for however long.

“He has to effort and debar arsenic overmuch arsenic helium tin but sometimes things hap adjacent if you privation to debar that. Hopefully helium tin beryllium disposable for the adjacent 1 but helium is not disposable for this one.”

While James is acceptable to beryllium sidelined for Saturday’s travel to the King Power Stadium, determination is amended quality elsewhere. There were archetypal doubts implicit the fittingness of Romeo Lavia, Wesley Fofana, Malo Gusto and Jadon Sancho.

Will Chelsea bushed Leicester? Share your predictions successful the comments below

Fofana is expected to beryllium good for his reunion with his erstwhile side. The aforesaid could beryllium said of Maresca, who is relishing the accidental to spell backmost to the East Midlands aft helping Leicester to promotion.

He said: “Excited and besides thankful due to the fact that it was a fantastic season. The owner, his family; they are fantastic people. They attraction for players, unit and each the radical wrong the club. You tin spot that.

“They cognize precisely what we do, it's connected some sides. We are going to effort to set the tiny details to spot if we tin bash thing different. It's much from their broadside that they cognize america amended than we cognize them.”

Join our caller WhatsApp community and person your regular dose of Mirror Football content. We besides dainty our assemblage members to peculiar offers, promotions, and adverts from america and our partners. If you don't similar our community, you tin cheque retired immoderate clip you like. If you're curious, you tin work our Privacy Notice.