For Chelsea, dis season na more dan just minutes for pitch. For Reece James, e don be about growth, resilience, and building momentum as e dey eye winning final day for Wearside. As Blues captain, e don enjoy im most involved Premier League campaign since 2020/21, wey e play 1,921 minutes, plus trip to Stadium of Light to face Sunderland tomorrow afternoon.
Away from numbers, Reece sabi say e don learn plenty from dis season, wey include run to FA Cup final. E dey enjoy more regular involvement for grass, while e dey embrace im leadership responsibilities. ‘Dis season, I don grow well well,’ e yarn. ‘I don dey out there with team, and I find am easier when I dey fit and healthy. I tink dat na one of highlights. Plenty people write me off. I come back dis season, and I don play decent number of games.’
James’ hard work don also get recognition for international stage after e receive England call-up to dis summer World Cup for North America. Dat na important personal milestone after injury deny am chance to feature for previous edition four years ago. For di news, Reece tok: ‘I was over di moon. Na proud moment for me. I miss 2022 World Cup because I dey injured. So, to get called up for dis one na special moment.’
After Sunday clash with Sunderland, attention go turn to new era for Stamford Bridge with arrival of incoming manager Xabi Alonso. Reece dey optimistic about wetin dey come and believe say Alonso experience for di very top of game fit help inspire di squad. ‘Everybody for club dey over di moon with im appointment,’ e add. ‘E be player wey play for highest level – e win nearly every trophy, I tink. I hope say we go get enjoyable and successful time together.’
Di club captain also get final word for Blues legend Cesar Azpilicueta, wey announce im retirement on Friday. Having play 85 times together for Chelsea, James reflect on influence of di Spaniard during dia time for club. ‘I learn from just di way e apply himself,’ Reece add. ‘Im application day in, day out, whether e dey play or not play. Im attitude na 110% every day.’
Former Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet don back di club decision to appoint Xabi Alonso instead of pursuing sensational return for Jose Mourinho. Despite Alonso recent struggles for La Liga, Poyet believe say di Spaniard modern tactical approach and lack of European football for Stamford Bridge go create perfect environment for am to build new identity.
Di appointment of Xabi Alonso as manager na major coup for Chelsea. BlueCo deserve credit for dat. Dem don do well to convince di Spaniard say Stamford Bridge na di place to be. Dat no easy after how Blues don do over past few seasons, and how tings don turn out for dia previous head coaches. In fact, Alonso go be di club sixth permanent manager for four years under BlueCo ownership. Frank Lampard and Calum McFarlane get some lengthy interim spells as well, on top of dat. So, tings no don go well for those for Chelsea hot seat. Alonso need to change dat.
According to Mirror, Chelsea go target centre-back, midfielder and left-sided winger dis summer. Oda areas of squad fit also come under scrutiny as Chelsea look to give Alonso di tools wey e need to succeed for Stamford Bridge. E no hard to see why centre-back dey on wish list for Chelsea. Dem don struggle for defence dis season. And oda dan Levi Colwill, none of dia current options fit be good enough to start. Also, if Alonso decide to go with three at back, dat fit complicate tings more. But for dat scenario, di likes of Jorrel Hato and Reece James fit be good enough to fill one of spots. At least one centre-back addition dey needed dis summer.
Midfield na anoda area wey need reinforcements. Dis go especially be true if Enzo Fernandez end up leaving, as expectation. But den, would di club look for like-for-like replacement? Or dem go look for more physical profile and try to change di dynamic for middle of park? Thirdly, e look like winger remain for radar for Chelsea. Dat na role dem never really fit fulfil since Eden Hazard left. Dem sign Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens last summer. But neither seem to be good enough to succeed for Chelsea.
For defence, names like Jan Paul van Hecke and Maxence Lacroix don be suggested. But dem fit look for someone not playing for England. Joel Ordonez of Club Brugge na someone wey dem believe dey on dia radar. For many, Alessandro Bastoni fit be di dream target and seem to dey available for right offer. For midfield, e hard to guess who Chelsea go for unless we know di profile dem want. Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes don both be linked recently. On oda hand, Valentin Barco dey set to join as well. Would e go down as di ‘one midfielder’ Chelsea want to sign dis summer? Or dem go still want anoda one, as decision to bring in di Argentine don be reached before Alonso arrival?
Thirdly, na di spot for wing. Signing one no go simple. E be difficult position to get right. Dey don even get suggestions say dem fit look for hybrid option. Someone wey fit play for flank and for number 10 role. Morgan Rogers na di first name wey come to mind but e dey draw interest from oda top clubs. Kenan Yildiz go be di dream target for many for dis position.
