Reece James has admitted to taking a cautious approach to his recovery from injury but has insisted he is ‘another stage closer to returning’.
Suffering torrid luck with injuries, the 23-year-old’s latest setback came at the start of last month after he picked up a hamstring injury.
Having already missed seven matches for Chelsea during his latest spell on the sidelines, James, who was recently promoted to captain under Mauricio Pochettino, is understandably desperate to get back on the pitch.
However, writing in his pre-match programme notes ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash at home to Aston Villa, the Blues’ number 24 emphasised how important it is to ensure he is 100 per cent recovered before making his comeback so as to avoid any further injuries.
“I want to get back out there soon, but it’s also important to make sure that it’s the right moment so that when I do come back, I’m in a position to continue to season without any problems later on,” James wrote in his pre-match programme notes, as quoted by Simon Johnson.
“I’m another stage closer to returning now I’ve been on the grass for the last couple of weeks and I’m working hard right now to come back, put my injury problems to bed and help the team as much as I can.”
Today’s match at Stamford Bridge, which is set to kick off at 2 p.m. (UK time), is not scheduled for live broadcast in the UK. Highlights will be posted on popular streaming sites, such as YouTube, shortly after the full-time whistle though.