Reece James has suffered yet another injury setback after sustaining a hamstring problem while playing for Chelsea.
The right-back, who recently signed a new six-year contract with the club, has now endured his 10th hamstring injury since December 2020.
The latest issue emerged shortly after Chelsea’s match against Newcastle United, raising fresh concerns over the fitness of the Blues captain.
James had been enjoying a relatively stable season before this setback, featuring in six of Chelsea’s last seven matches and missing only five games due to injury earlier in the campaign.
However, the timing of this new injury presents a major challenge for the London club.
Liam Rosenior confirmed the news ahead of the Blues’ upcoming fixture, expressing disappointment over the defender’s condition.
“Reece felt something in his hamstring against Newcastle,” Rosenior said on Monday.
“Really frustrating and disappointing one for us.”
The manager added that the club will need further medical checks to determine the full extent of the injury.
“We don’t know the full extent of the injury, but it rules him out of tomorrow’s game.”
With a hamstring injury, it’s never great, and for Reece, we can get him scanned and then we know more.
“We know what an important player he is and leader in the group – he’s our captain.”
Chelsea’s injury blow comes at a crucial stage of the season.
The team has slipped to sixth place in the Premier League after winning just one of their last five matches, putting pressure on their push for a strong finish.
Attention is also turning to their upcoming UEFA Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain, where Chelsea must attempt to overturn a heavy 5–2 deficit.
Beyond club football, the injury could also affect James’ international prospects.
The defender had been expected to feature in the squad selected by Thomas Tuchel for England national football team ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
However, the setback now rules him out of upcoming international friendlies against Uruguay national football team and Japan national football team scheduled for March.
For the Club World Cup champions, the priority will now be assessing the severity of James’ injury and managing his recovery carefully, as the club hopes to avoid another prolonged absence for one of their most influential players.
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