Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Chelsea captain Reece James has suffered a fresh injury setback.
James has been plagued by fitness issues in recent campaigns and has totalled just 241 minutes of action across four Premier League appearances this season.
He has failed to start more than 25 league games in a season since 2018/19, during a loan spell at Wigan Athletic in the Championship.
His problems have seen James fall out of the picture with England, having won his last cap for the Three Lions in March 2023.
The right-back is now facing another period on the sidelines with an unspecified problem, with Maresca confirming the 24-year-old will miss this weekend’s clash against Leicester City.
“Unfortunately Reece felt something small and we don’t want to take a risk for this game. He felt something, he has to be out, for sure this week. After that, we have to see,” Maresca said at his pre-match press conference.
Maresca returned to former club Leicester for the first time this weekend, having left the King Power Stadium for Chelsea last summer. The Italian led Leicester to the Championship title last season and promotion back into the Premier League.
