24-year-old Chelsea captain and England national football team right-back Reece James will not play another game in 2023, following the defender’s confirmation to have undergone a surgery to fix hamstring problems he picked up earlier this month. The breaking news have been confirmed by the six-time English champions and the Chelsea captain himself on various platforms, and with that, it is more than likely that the injury-prone player will not be featuring in Gareth Southgate’s squad that travel to Germany next summer for the 2024 UEFA European Championship (The maximum number of players is 26).
What Happened to Reece James, the Chelsea Captain?
The 24-year-old Chelsea captain injured his hamstring and was replaced by his younger compatriot, 20-year-old Levi Colwill during Chelsea’s English Premier League encounter with Everton at Goodison Park earlier this month. The injury blow immediately raised alarm bells for everyone at the Blues, since the Chelsea captain has been missing a lot of actions since his professional senior debut back in the 2019/2020 Season.
In his six-season spell with his boyhood club Chelsea, the 24-year-old Chelsea captain James have collected a total of 156 appearances in all competitions of the team, offering a total goal contribution of 32 (11 goals and 21 assists) and winning three accolades that included the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup back in 2021. He was also part of the Three Lions squad that finished second in the 2020 UEFA European Championship.
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🚨🏴 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 | Reece James (24) has sustained a hamstring injury after a scan following his early substitution vs Everton.
He will now begin his rehabilitation programme. pic.twitter.com/uq08dI8Tun
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) December 12, 2023
Chelsea’s and Reece James’s Statements
In a previous official announcement published in their website concerning Chelsea captain Reece James after the match between Chelsea and Everton at Goodison Park earlier this month, the club said: “Chelsea Football Club has today released the following statement about Reece James. Captain Reece James has undergone medical assessment following Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Everton. The defender was withdrawn during the first half at Goodison Park, and scan results have confirmed a hamstring injury. Reece will now begin his rehabilitation programme at Cobham.”
The 24-year-old Chelsea captain also added a statement after his successful hamstring surgery. “The footballing world knew I got injured but the procedure I would go down this time took slightly longer to figure out the best solution. I had surgery today to try fix my reoccurring hamstring issue, the recovery has started, both physically and mentally. Since this injury I’ve had a good amount of support but significantly more hate and negativity. Believe me I don’t wanna be injured, I’m happiest when I’m playing football. Thanks to the understanding people that support me despite the highs or the lows, it goes a long way. Stay well,” said Chelsea captain Reece James.
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When Will the Chelsea Captain Return?
Following his surgery to fix the hamstring issues he suffered from, the Chelsea captain James is expected to miss a big part of the remainder of the 2023/2024 Season, or March or April 2024, to be exact. The news serve as a huge blow to Chelsea, who are trying to find a grid and work themselves back to the top ranks of the English top-flight football. The Blues, now managed by Mauricio Pochettino, are currently 10th in the 2023/2024 English Premier League Season after 17 Matchdays thus far.
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