Chelsea’s Reece James is looking to move to either FC Barcelona or Benfica to break free from his injuries spell. He has only made 26 Premier League appearances for Barcelona since the start of the 2022-23 campaign and only made 11 appearances in the 2023-24 season.
James, 24, was once regarded as one of the best right-backs in the Premier League, but injuries have pushed him to the benches. Last season, he had surgery done to counter his recurring hamstring injury. James has missed a whopping 129 matches for Chelsea because of injury.
The Chelsea captain believes that moving to a club, like Barcelona or Benfica, in a warmer climate would do him wonders. This comes after physios advised James that warmer climates of southern Europe – Spain or Portugal – could aid his recovery and long-term fitness.
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Uncertainty Surrounding Reece James
As such, his agent is in talks with both the potential clubs. However, it’s not clear yet whether those clubs would be eager to sign James on.
Last month, Chelsea coach Enzo Fernandez highlighted that James played the first five matches of the pre-season in the US, but suffered a setback in the match against Real Madrid. About the injury, he said Chelsea is looking for the right solution. Fernandez pointed out that James has been very unlucky with the injuries, and hopes to get him back fit as soon as possible.
James has been recovering and is due back in training soon. Matt Law, a journalist, said the footballer could be back in full training next week. He added that Chelsea will be very careful with James because it doesn’t necessarily expect him to come back in so quick.
