Reece James Returns to Chelsea Squad After Sustaining Injury in England Camp

What Happened?

Reece James has withdrawn from the England squad and will miss their second Euro 2024 qualifying game against Ukraine on Sunday due to injury. The Chelsea full-back has returned to his club after picking up the injury during training.

Southgate’s Update

England manager Gareth Southgate confirmed that James has left the England squad due to injury. Southgate also offered an update on James’s fitness and explained that it is understandable for the defender to be extra cautious after the serious injury that ruled him out of the 2022 World Cup last year.

“Reece has gone back, he’s not completely happy with how his leg feels. He was a little bit concerned about that earlier in the week,” Southgate told reporters.

“I think, probably for him, the injury after the injury that ruled him out of the World Cup has made him a little more cautious at this moment in time. It probably needs some time.

“It is not unusual to have a serious injury and then smaller injuries on the back of that. With Reece, it is a case of building his resilience to load and him being comfortable with that. With him, the club tends to play a game and we are a bit more cautious on the next one. He is a really good player and he has got absolutely everything and could be anything he wants to be. This is a temporary thing and hopefully, he can overcome that pretty quickly.”

The Bigger Picture

James’ injury news comes as a blow to the Three Lions who are already without Luke Shaw due to the red card that he picked up against Italy. This will put some pressure on England’s backline, especially with the game being a must-win for them in the quest to qualify for the 2024 Euros.

What’s Next?

The 23-year-old defender’s condition will be assessed by Chelsea boss Graham Potter before deciding on whether he will be fit to feature in the Blues’ next clash against Aston Villa in the Premier League on April 1. Chelsea will be hoping that their star defender returns to full fitness soon as they aim to finish the season strongly and secure a spot in next season’s Champions League.

Credit: https://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/gareth-southgate-reece-james-injury-update-chelsea-star-withdraws-england-squad/blta7452c0af2fc9e8a

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