Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Chelsea star Reece James is available to play against West Ham this weekend.
Chelsea are preparing to host rivals West Ham on Saturday afternoon in a Premier League fixture at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues were beaten on the road away to Southampton earlier this week, so will be looking for a big response in front of their own fans.
With the transfer window now officially shut in England, it’s a chance for this new-look Chelsea squad to try kick on after a rocky start to the season.
James available against West Ham
Chelsea boss Tuchel confirmed in today’s press conference that James is ready to make his return against West Ham.
The 22-year-old defender was absent from the Southampton defeat through illness, but has been back training with his teammates this week.
“[Ruben Loftus-Cheek and James] are back in training and both available,” Tuchel confirmed.
The return of James for Chelsea this weekend is a huge a boost.
Backed to be a “future captain” by John Terry, James was a massive loss from the team’s 2-1 defeat to Southampton in midweek.
The England international is such a vital player for the Blues as both an offensive and defensive threat.
With Wesley Fofana now added to the squad, there’s no excuse for James not to be in his preferred right wing-back position.
The likes of Raheem Sterling and Pierre Aubameyang would definitely prefer to have teammate James on the right wing whipping crosses in.
Upcoming opponents West Ham are renowned for being quite a physical team, so bringing powerhouse James back into the line-up seems vitally important.
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