Reece James fitness update ahead of Chelsea v Leeds clash | Football
TL;DR – Two-minute read
Reece James returned from injury but was still a doubt for Chelsea’s Premier League match against Leeds due to illness, as confirmed by manager Liam Rosenior. The England international missed the previous two fixtures after sustaining a minor injury. Andrey Santos and Tosin Adarabioyo were expected to feature despite fitness concerns.
Liam Rosenior has confirmed that Chelsea captain Reece James has returned from injury but remains a doubt for the Premier League clash with Leeds due to illness. This update came during a press conference ahead of the match on Saturday, which is significant as Chelsea look to solidify their position in the league.
Reece James, 26, has been absent from Chelsea’s last two matches against Arsenal and Wolves after suffering a ‘small knock’ following the team’s 3-2 victory over West Ham. Despite hopes of featuring against Wolves, he failed a late fitness test, resulting in Malo Gusto starting at right-back in the 3-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Rosenior stated, “Reece is fit. He is feeling unwell today. It’s no conspiracy, it’s the truth. Hopefully he will be well enough for tomorrow.”
Positive updates for other players
There was encouraging news regarding Andrey Santos and Tosin Adarabioyo, both of whom are expected to face Leeds despite fitness concerns. Rosenior remarked, “Andrey trained today. He’s a soldier. He had a swollen ankle, but he’s fine for tomorrow,” and added that “Tosin is looking good, he trained today.”
Cautious approach for Romeo Lavia
Chelsea are taking a careful approach with Romeo Lavia, who has been training after being out since November with a thigh injury. Rosenior described the rehabilitation plan for Lavia, stating, “We have a really detailed plan for him. He was back on the training pitch with us, it was great to see him, but we need to make sure when he’s back that he’s back for good.”
More updates on James and team news are expected as Chelsea prepare for their next fixture.