Chelsea given huge blow ahead of 2024/25 season as captain Reece James suffers injury setback

Chelsea's preparations for the upcoming 2024/25 season have been dealt a significant blow as club captain Reece James has suffered an injury setback due to a hamstring issue that flared up during training.

The Chelsea captain apparently experienced discomfort in his hamstring during a training session this week, as reported by The Athletic.

While the injury has been classified as minor, it is severe enough to rule him out of Chelsea's final pre-season friendly against Inter Milan on Sunday as well as the start of the new season.

Although James was already set to miss the opening three fixtures of the Premier League season due to suspension, this latest hamstring issue also means he will most likely be unavailable for Chelsea's crucial two-legged UEFA Conference League play-off in late August.

Given the circumstances surrounding James, who has suffered recurrent injuries recently, Chelsea is expected to take a cautious approach to his recovery.

Sources indicate that the club is unlikely to rush him back onto the pitch, aiming to avoid aggravating the injury, with the current target for his return being September 14th, when Chelsea is scheduled to face Bournemouth in the Premier League.

James has been injured for a combined 205 games since August 2023 and Chelsea will be hoping that the latest injury concern does not develop into something as serious as his last setback.