Reece James is about to feature for Chelsea this weekend in what can be his first outing of the season.
The Blues travel to face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday with their club captain in line to play an element within the Premier League fixture.
James has not featured for the reason that penultimate game of last season after aggravating a difficult hamstring injury during pre-season.
Having missed much of the second half of last term, the right-back is itching to return and while Enzo Maresca revealed the excellent news about his availability, he did admit that there is a catch.
“He’s available, finally he’s back,” said Blues boss Maresca. “He worked with us within the international break. It’s excellent news, especially for him.
“It’s complicated once you get injury, injury, injury. You are at all times searching for an answer.
“The answer with Reece might be the identical as with Romeo (Lavia) and Wes, when it comes to using them only once per week.
“On this moment, Reece’s body cannot play twice per week. Considered one of the solutions is we’ll try to administer him in the identical way.
“In the longer term, I do not know, but when we wish to construct his physical condition probably the answer is to permit him to go slowly and use him once per week.”
Taking a cautious approach with James’ fitness could possibly be sensible given his lack of match motion in recent campaigns.
The last two seasons have seen the England international make only a combined 26 appearances within the Premier League as injuries to his knee and hamstring have continued.
The 2023-24 campaign was particularly frustrating for James, who missed 29 games from December to May.
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He was red carded against Brighton in May on his first start in five months for a dangerous challenge on striker Joao Pedro, causing him to miss Chelsea’s final match of the season.
Maresca, who has taken advantage of his enviable squad depth since taking charge by choosing a unique XI for league and cup fixtures, has been in a position to call upon the impressive Malo Gusto at right-back with the 21-year-old France international proving a more-than-able deputy.
“It’s difficult however it’s nice because that one in every of them, the one I select, goes to do well,” said Maresca. “That is a superb feeling.
“To start with Reece must be fit, then slowly we’ll see. Now we have many players who’re versatile and might play in several positions.”
