Chelsea: Reece James’ injury complicates Blues’ full-back plans this summer

Reece James will join Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi in the Cobham contingent of Chelsea’s rehabilitation wing this summer. James’ injury complicates plans for the Blues’ defence.

Reece James suffered a horrid injury playing for England’s U20’s on Friday. England’s physio staff rushed onto the field immediately, and the stretcher followed directly behind them. At the time of this writing, the most reliable reports indicate a broken ankle. The best case scenario for this recovery time is three months, which means he would miss at least the first month of Chelsea’s season. More likely, he would miss several months as he rebuilds fitness and match-sharpness.

James had emerged as one of the front runners to break through into the first team next season. He won a raft of honours for his performances on loan at Wigan this season, and his excellence at right-back perfectly complemented one of Chelsea’s ongoing squad needs.

With James unavailable for at least the first month of the season – and likely not ready for a regular starting role until close to the new year – Chelsea need to adjust immediately their summer plans for defence.

The most limited role projected for James next season was deputizing Cesar Azpilicueta at right-back. James would take the domestic cup games, perhaps some Champions League group stage games and the occasional Premier League start while he polished off his development for first-tier football across four competitions. This would allow Azpilicueta the rest he has scarcely had in the last five seasons, and begin the transition away from Azpilicueta as the starting right-back. Within two years, James would be ready to play with the consistency and quality as the Spaniard.

However, James could also have had a more accelerated path into the first team. Marcos Alonso is reportedly nearing a transfer to Atletico Madrid.

If Alonso leaves and the next manager does not trust Emerson Palmieri any more than Antonio Conte or Maurizio Sarri did – that is to say, not much at all – Azpilicueta would be the likely candidate to start as left-back. This would move Reece James into the starting right-back spot from day one.

The other fast-track for James would be as a wing-back. If Chelsea return to a three-man back line next season, James would be the top candidate to start on the right flank. James had three goals and three assists for Wigan, and 72 completed crosses, the team lead by nearly twofold. James was also the usual corner kick specialist for Wigan. He has the offensive inclinations and skills necessary for the two-way role, and in many ways functioned as a wing-back for Wigan.

Chelsea have one other full-back / wing-back in the loan army who has been mooted for a return: Ola Aina. Aina was one of the below-the-radar stars of the loan system, spending the season at Torino. His contact include a £9 million option to buy, which Torino are likely to activate.

The reports indicate the option is completely at Torino’s discretion, which means the Blues would be unable to stop them.

If Chelsea have any way of keeping Aina, at least for the first half, they may now be impelled to take those steps. Aina plays on the left, so if Alonso leaves Aina and Emerson would compete for the starting spot. This would keep Azpilicueta on the right, with Davide Zappacosta as his putative deputy, at least until James is back to full match readiness and the Blues can move players around in January.

Chelsea have been shallow at full-back for some time. No one has come close to challenging Cesar Azpilicueta for the right-back spot, and Azpilicueta could probably do a better job at left-back than Marcos Alonso and Emerson, who are both better suited as wing-backs.

James showed the best promise of allowing Azpilicueta a few days off and setting up an eventual succession for the position. That he was an Academy graduate was a triple bonus: he takes a homegrown slot, the Blues are under a transfer ban and everybody wants to see more Cobham “yoof” in the side.

Chelsea will now need to move fast to cover however many months they expect to be without James. This may mean locking down Marcos Alonso or finding some way to hold on to Ola Aina. It could also mean finding a coach who will use wing-backs instead of full-backs, and who will repurpose a winger – likely Christian Pulisic – as the right wing-back (click the link below).

Chelsea built up some solid momentum in their loan army this season and with Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the first team. Now three of the players most likely to slash the average age of the starting XI will be out for the beginning of the season. Let’s hope this is the last such article we need to write.