Chelsea captain Reece James was absent from the main squad's training session on Tuesday. According to Sky Sports journalist James Savundra, the defender is continuing his recovery on an individual programme following a knee injury.
His absence isn’t a surprise for Chelsea fans, as the player had already missed the recent Premier League victory against Bournemouth. After that match, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso provided clarity on the status of the right-back, emphasising that the club will be monitoring James’s fitness on a ‘week by week’ basis following a minor knee issue sustained last week.
In the midst of the captain’s enforced layoff, an encouraging factor for Alonso’s team has been the timely return of Moises Caicedo. The Ecuadorian midfielder has formed a solid partnership in the centre of the park with experienced campaigner Jordan Henderson, playing a crucial role in the emphatic 5-1 destruction of the Cherries on Saturday.
