Chelsea need a deputy and, eventually, replacement for Cesar Azpilicueta. Reece James is excelling on loan at Wigan. Hopefully the club can see the connection here.
Cesar Azpilicueta is a Chelsea hero, maybe even a superhero. After all, everything is better when you add “super” to it. Just ask Super Frank.
But even Superman needs to take off his cape once in a while and just be Clark Kent. Sadly, when Azpilicueta puts on his dorky glasses and sees Davide Zappacosta fumbling around, unable to figure out how to put on his underwear over his tights, poor “Dave” has no option but to cancel his date with Lois Lane. The date can wait. Right now, the world needs saving, mostly from Zappacosta’s incompetence.
However, things may be about to change. A transfer ban, the contract situation of the frizzy-haired one, and the stupendously successful loan spell of an academy graduate have the makings of the prefect storm for Chelsea this summer. It remains to be seen, however, how the club navigates this situation.
The Blues could finally have a capable backup for Azpilicueta at right-back, or they could carry on letting Zappacosta fly into buildings and crash on the sidewalk the few times he is allowed to wear the cape.
With the quick and dirty solution of “throw some money at the problem and hope it goes away” no longer within an arm’s reach, more meaningful and sensible actions will be needed. It is at this point one could point at the empty office with a “Director of Football” sign at the door and shake one’s head in bewilderment.
But thankfully for Chelsea, nature abhors a vacuum. In the absence of any sort of coherent planning, the Universe has prepared a succession / transition plan and lovingly plopped it on Chelsea’s plate.
Enter Reece James, on loan at Wigan Athletic in the Championship. The 19-year old is having a fantastic season with the Latics, collecting Man of the Match awards the way Gonzalo Higuain hogs the appetizers at a buffet. Even though he can play in midfield, he has been sensational in his regular position at right-back.
Latics fans are convinced they are watching a future England international and, frankly, so are Chelsea. Or, at least, they should be. When his loan ends, the club must find a place for Reece James in their first team. And that place is right next to Cesar Azpilicueta, as his understudy.
In Reece James, Chelsea has a ready-made replacement and a capable deputy for the right-back position. It is time for the club to look inward, and that doesn’t mean sticking one’s head up their own posterior, which has been the default stance for years now.
If Chelsea are unable to delay the transfer ban, they should look no further than James to strengthen the squad. If they are able to delay the ban, they should look no further than James to strengthen the squad. It’s a no-brainer.
Zappacosta can stay on as third-choice (maybe open up a restaurant, like one of his teammates) right-back, or he can smell the coffee. Barring a major tactical shakeup, such as reverting to three centerbacks with James as a starting right wingback, there is no need for the expensive Italian to linger around Cobham.
In the summer, whoever manages Chelsea must bring in the youngster, point to the right-back position on a team-sheet and say, “One day, this will be all yours”. And then trust him from the very beginning. Even someone as ephebiphobic as Maurizio Sarri could not bungle a situation as clear as this.
Thankfully, he will have taken his payoff and retired on an island in Italy by the time Reece James rolls into Cobham in the summer, cape in tow.