Reece James Set to Ignite Chelsea's Revival Upon Return

Chelsea fullback Reece James is not thought to have sustained a serious injury, multiple sources have indicated.

Following an extended struggle with various major injuries, James has begun to regain his form under Enzo Maresca and delivered an exceptional individual performance against Liverpool in their recent encounter, but this progress seemed to be harshly interrupted when England announced his squad withdrawal due to injury concerns.

Warning signs quickly emerged regarding a player who has been absent for at least 68 matches for both club and national team since the beginning of the 2023–24 campaign, however there is optimism that James will not require an extended recovery period this time.

The Telegraph's Matt Law indicates James's current condition is both "minor" and "ongoing", implying the Blues skipper will return to action shortly. Further encouraging the outlook, BBC Sport's Nizaar Kinzella notes that while James would have been unavailable for both England fixtures regardless, the choice to withdraw him from the squad was more precautionary than due to a forced issue.

The expectation at Chelsea is that James, who seemed in good spirits following the Liverpool victory, will be ready when league football resumes. Maresca's team returns to play away against Nottingham Forest on Oct. 18.

Considering James's extensive injury record, Maresca has proceeded with utmost care regarding his captain, publicly acknowledging his approach of protecting James from an increasingly demanding fixture list to provide his body with maximum recovery opportunities.

He was excluded from the group stage roster for last season's Conference League but took on a rotational capacity across all tournaments upon his comeback, with Malo Gusto serving as his regular replacement.

With developments moving in a positive direction, James has featured in four of Chelsea's previous six matches, missing the Carabao Cup triumph over Lincoln City and entering as a late replacement to help secure victory against Benfica.

There is also optimism that Moisés Caicedo will be ready after the international period following his omission from the Ecuador roster. The key midfielder is not considered to be injured but is being given rest to prevent taking any needless chances during an international window consisting of two friendly matches.