Reece James
CHE
RB
Possession Builder
Dec 8, 1999 (26)
Right
5'11"
181 lb
ChelseaRanking
Grades
Key Grades
2025/2026 Champions League
Overall Grades by game
2025/2026 Champions League
Upcoming matches
News
Plays first minutes, sets up goal
James played in Saturday's 3-1 win over Real Sociedad, delivering an assist in his first preseason appearance, with coach Xabi Alonso praising his qualities. "Personality, leadership, experience, quality, composure with the ball, competitiveness without the ball. He's very flexible in his style and in different positions, he's a legend in the club, and he is a key player for the team"
Analysis: James only returned to training earlier in the week after England's third place finish at the World Cup, and this productive involvement confirms he's on track ahead of the Aug. 24 opener against Fulham, even with a short window to build up match sharpness. He remains a lock to start whenever healthy, though his injury history means the club could still ease him in with a bench role early on. James is expected to continue building toward the season opener as the club finalizes its preparations.
Reports back to Cobham
James returned to Chelsea on Tuesday for pre-season work ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Analysis: James is one of several players who reported at Cobham Training Center on Tuesday, and if the right-back stays fit in the coming days, he might have an outside shot at making the bench for the opener against Fulham on Monday, Aug. 24. James is a lock to start if healthy throughout the seaon for Chelsea, but he'll have less than two weeks of training before the Fulham match, so it wouldn't be surprising if he opens the season on a bench role, especially considering his injury history.
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