Reece James has said he’s in “a good place” and admitted the squad are excited for the season ahead under Enzo Maresca.
The Blues are currently in America on their pre-season tour, and James along with his new boss faced the media on Tuesday evening ahead of Wednesday’s friendly against Wrexham.
James has come through the first two weeks of pre-season training unscathed following surgery on a hamstring injury last year, and he will be desperate to get back on the pitch and show what he can do.
Chelsea squad excited for the new season
Pre-season is a chance for James to get some much needed minutes back in his legs and build up his match fitness having not featured much during the last campaign.
Unfortunately for the 24-year-old he’s suspended for the first three games of the new season following a red card against Brighton at the back end of last season.
The most important thing for James is to stay fit having been plagued by injury issues over the last couple of seasons, but he feels he’s in a good place and that Chelseas are excited for the new campaign.
“I’d like to think I am in a good place now,” he told reporters.
“I’ve got a long pre-season now because I am serving a four-game ban, I am excited for the season.
“There is a lot of adjustments to make to the new system. Whenever a new manager comes in, there is a lot to take on board. We’re excited.”
James could find himself playing a different role than he’s used to under Maresca, with the Italian known to like to invert one of his fullbacks into midfield.
Maresca highlighted James as one of the players who is capable of doing that, and he’s not a stranger to playing in midfield having done so earlier in his career when on loan at Wigan Athletic.
Excitement is now building for the new season, and the thought of a fully fit James inverting into midfield could be quite a prospect for Chelsea.
