Chelsea right-back Reece James has once again suffered yet another unfortunate injury. The defender was substituted off of the pitch after just 27 minutes during a matchup with Everton on Sunday. The Blues ended up losing the game against the Toffees, dropping the club even further down the Premier League table.

“Captain Reece James has undergone medical assessment following Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Everton,” Chelsea said in an official statement. “The defender was withdrawn during the first half at Goodison Park, and scan results have confirmed a hamstring injury. Reece will now begin his rehabilitation program at Cobham.”

Reports out of England claim that James may be out of action for up to three months. Not only was the star full-back injured in the defeat, but two other Chelsea players also hobbled off of the pitch against Everton. Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and defender Marc Cucurella needed substitutions late in the game as well. The severity of these setbacks is still unclear for the Stamford Bridge side.

After the Everton defeat, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino stressed how frustrating it is to lose a player like James. “Of course, for us, he is an important player, one of the best full-backs in the world,” said the manager. “It is really disappointing because after 15 or 20 minutes we were playing well, and I think this type of circumstance makes us change. Of course, Malo Gusto is [also] recovering from his injury.”

Star defender has lengthy injury list in recent years

James only just recently rejoined the squad after previously suffering another hamstring injury in the first game of the season. The England international missed nine total games due to the setback. However, the defender has a long list of injuries during his time with the west London club.

James has missed 89 total games between club and country since the summer of 2019 due to various injuries. This includes ankle and knee issues, but also a string of hamstring problems. The defender has suffered seven different setbacks to the leg muscle in the last three years.

Despite this unfortunate injury history, James drew interest from Real Madrid. Reports surfaced back in September while the defender nursed an injury. At the time, the Spanish giants wanted to sign the England full-back.

Under normal circumstances, Chelsea would certainly rebuff Real’s potential advances for the star. However, the Blues may need to capitalize on selling James due to the various setbacks in recent seasons. This, however, depends on if Real still wants to pursue the right back in the future.

Reece James is back on the talented injury list at Chelsea

Chelsea fans were hoping that their club would bounce back this season after a disastrous 2022/23 campaign. Nevertheless, this has not happened yet. The Blues currently sit 12th in the Premier League standings, the same place where they finished last season. Along with subpar play on the pitch, the club has racked up a long list of injuries to first-team players.

The west London outfit currently has 10 senior players on the sidelines because of various setbacks. Along with James, and the aforementioned duo, Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Christopher Nkunku, Trevor Chalobah, Malo Gusto, and Carney Chukwuemeka are all currently out of the matchday squad at the moment.

Chelsea will try to regroup ahead of their next Premier League matchup. The Blues host Sheffield United on Saturday, Dec. 16.

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