Medical expert ‘fully expects’ Reece James comeback for Chelsea after ‘additional setback’
Reece James’ recent illness means he will not return to the matchday squad until Chelsea face Crystal Palace a week on Saturday (19 February).
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
James is currently sidelined with a hamstring issue and has not featured since the 1-1 draw with Brighton on 29 December last year.
He has travelled to Abu Dhabi but was not named in Chelsea’s squad for yesterday’s (9 February) 1-0 Club World Cup semi-final win over Al-Hilal.
First-team coach Zsolt Low told club media yesterday (9 February) that there is “no chance he plays in the Club World Cup.”
But Dinnery predicts that the 22-year-old right-back will be available for selection again when Chelsea resume their domestic campaign.
“He was originally targetting a return in time for the Club World Cup,” he told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.
“But unfortunately this illness, I think it was a chest infection, set him back a few days.
“Given the fact that he has flown out there, you might have originally thought he had a chance to make the bench for that second game, the final.
“But in any case, he won’t be too far away. We’re talking the final phase of that recovery process.
“Even if he isn’t going to make that next game, I expect we could see him on the bench once Chelsea return to Premier League action.”
James has registered five goals and six assists in 23 appearances this term.
Chelsea face South American champions Palmeiras in the Club World Cup final on Saturday (12 February).
In other news, ex-Fifa official has major concerns at Club World Cup experiment Arsene Wenger “instigated”.