Reece James sustains hamstring injury ahead of the upcoming Premier League season

Reece James, a defender for Chelsea, suffered a setback before the start of the new season due to a hamstring problem. After the club returned from their preseason tour of the United States, James had some difficulty during this week's training at Cobham. He was substituted for Wesley Fofana 70 minutes into Chelsea's last pre-season friendly of the tour against Real Madrid on Tuesday evening.

The 24-year-old has been having a good summer so far, starting all five of Chelsea's preseason games. However, he will not be playing in Sunday's last warm-up against Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge. It is described as "minor," but it will doubtless be of concern to James and the Chelsea medical staff in the hope of avoiding a repeat of last season's injury nightmare.

Due to his three-game suspension, Chelsea will lean on the side of caution and be able to take their time in his recovery. Malo Gusto, who had a fantastic 2023–24 season, was already being considered for the position. James received an automatic four-game suspension after receiving his second red card of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion in their last game of the previous campaign.

Reece James to return back in action in September

However, the fact that he has already complained of another hamstring ailment may raise concerns. James has suffered a few hamstring problems over the years, which have limited his playing time. James, 24, had just 24 appearances over the whole 2022–2023  Premier League season due to fitness issues. He suffered a hamstring strain in the first game of the 2023–2024 season and was limited to just 11 games in all competitions.

However, due to his injury, he may miss Chelsea's two-legged UEFA Conference League play-off in late August. According to the article, the club will not rush his recovery, with a potential comeback date of September 14 when the Blues meet Bournemouth.