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Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca provided an update on the fitness of Reece James, who has yet to make an appearance this season. Maresca confirmed that the English defender will miss their upcoming game against West Ham United on Saturday, September 21. Malo Gusto is reportedly set to miss the game as well.
James has struggled with injuries, particularly over the last two years. He missed more than 15 games during the 2022-23 season due to hamstring and knee issues. Last season, he made only 11 appearances after undergoing surgery to address his persistent injury problems.
The 24-year-old, who was named Chelsea captain, was given a tailored training program at the start of the season to help him return to full fitness. However, his last appearance came in a pre-season friendly against Real Madrid last month, after which he suffered another hamstring injury that kept him sidelined.
Ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League clash against West Ham United, Maresca confirmed that the English defender will not be available for selection and admitted that he cannot provide a specific timeline for his return due to the recurring nature of his injuries.
“Reece James is still out and his recover is a bit delayed. The most important is that they come back when they are 100% fit. Reece is still not available. Unfortunately, we don’t have an idea at the moment when Reece will return. He’s been very unlucky, we planned to change him after 65 minutes, and he got injured in minute 62-63,” Maresca said
Malo Gusto, who was signed to provide cover for Reece James, is also reportedly ruled out of the upcoming clash against West Ham. The Frenchman suffered a hamstring injury and last featured for the club earlier this month against Crystal Palace.
This will undoubtedly be a significant blow for the Blues, as they are now without a natural right-back. As a result, the Italian manager could continue using Axel Disasi on the right, with Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana continuing in the center-back positions.
Enzo Maresca discusses Chelsea’s top four prospects for this season
Chelsea have had a solid start to the season, despite their opening day defeat to Manchester City. Since then, they have drawn against Crystal Palace and secured victories over Wolves and Bournemouth.
Despite their current position, there is confidence that Chelsea have the squad and quality to compete for a top-four finish. Maresca downplayed the expectations when asked whether the club can realistically aim for such heights, noting that the team needs time to develop, especially given their lower finishes in the past two seasons.
"This is a good squad. But in the last two years we have finished 12th and sixth. You need progress. The only way to reach some important targets is to be focused on game after game," he said (via Football London).
After their match against West Ham United, the Blues will take on Barrow in the EFL Cup, followed by a tough fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, September 28.
