Chelsea defender Reece James has claimed that he doesn’t know himself if he is set for an injury-free season this time around.
He told journalist Ben Jacobs that he is trying his best to stay on the field as much as possible in the upcoming campaign.
Last season took its toll on James, who missed large portions at a time last season due to injuries after signing his new £250k-a-week contract.
This also included him being forced to sit and watch the World Cup from home, when he was almost certainly going to be a starting player for Gareth Southgate’s side.
Fears begun to spread around the fanbase again after he was not spotted as part of the travelling party that made the trip to begin the pre-season tour of the United States.
James unsure on injury future
However, it soon emerged that it was just a simple illness that stopped him travelling with the bulk of the squad, and he soon joined up with his teammates.
He is now in line to make his first appearance of pre-season tonight when the Blues take on Newcastle United in the Premier League Summer Series.
The player will be hoping for better luck when it comes to injuries this season, however admitted himself that he can’t look into the future and confirm it won’t happen again.
He said: “I wish I could look into the future. I don’t know if they are over but I am trying my best to stay on the field.”
Supporters will at least feel more confident this season than they did last season if they lose James to injury.
The first few appearances of Malo Gusto since he joined the club have impressed those who have watched, especially when he came up against Kaoru Mitoma at the weekend.