Thiago Silva feels Reece James is a ‘really good captain’ for Chelsea (Picture: Getty)
Thiago Silva has praised Chelsea team-mate Reece James and insists the right-back is set for a ‘big future’.
James, who was handed the captain’s armband this summer, has made a total of 154 appearances for Chelsea to date after coming through the club’s academy.
The England international, 23, helped the Blues to Champions League glory in 2021 but Silva, 39, feels James can go on to bigger and better things.
James has attracted interest from Real Madrid but Chelsea want him to remain at Stamford Bridge at all costs.
‘I have a really good relationship with Reece James,’ Silva told the Chelsea website on Wednesday.
‘He’s a really good captain and he has a big future because he’s a really good listener.
‘It’s my job to be a bit of a sounding board now. It’s hard because sometimes the players are very different in age to myself.
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‘What we want to do is speed up the process of understanding and I think the players we have here are generally good at that.’
James was sent off in Chelsea’s last match – a 4-1 defeat to Newcastle United – and is now suspended for Sunday’s game against Brighton.
He recently sought out the leadership advice of Rugby World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi as he continues to grapple with his role as Chelsea skipper.
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‘He’s a really good listener!’