Chelsea supporters on social media were delighted to learn that Reece James had been included in England’s provisional European Championship squad.
Gareth Southgate announced a list of 33 names that will be whittled down to 26 before the Euros gets underway.
Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell also made the cut alongside James, with Blues fans feeling the latter’s addition was never in doubt.
Here’s how they reacted on Twitter:
James has thoroughly deserved his spot in Southgate’s preliminary Three Lions group.
The 21-year-old flourished under Frank Lampard and continued to impress following Thomas Tuchel’s arrival.
He also looked extremely comfortable during his two international caps across England’s World Cup qualifying games in March.
There was plenty of chat about which right-backs Southgate would select for the summer’s footballing festivities.
Along with James, Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold, Kyle Walker of Manchester City and Kieran Tripper from Atletico Madrid were jostling to be noticed.
As it turns out, all four full-backs have been added to the temporary list, with one potentially set to be chopped before the competition kicks off.
Chelsea’s young defender has one more chance to cement his place prior to potentially setting off on national duty.
A Champions League final awaits the Blues on Saturday, where they take on Manchester City in a battle between James and Walker.
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