Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that captain Reece James is available for selection as the Blues prepare to face Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, Afrosport reports.
James has not featured in any game this season since he picked up an hamstring injury during pre-season.
The 24-year-old English right-back resumed training last week and Maresca stressed on the need to slowly integrate him back into the team.
“We finally are all available. We have a fully fit squad available for selection,” the Italian said.
“Reece James is available. He is back, he worked with us all the international break. Finally he is back.
“Reece’s body cannot play for instance twice a week so one of the solutions is that we are going to try and manage him the same way we are doing with Romeo [Lavia].
“In this moment I think this can be the solution (to play him once a week). In the future? I don’t know. The solution is to go slowly, slowly. In the future we may be able to use him in the week but in this moment we need to use him once a week.”
Malo Gusto has been deputising for Reece James at right-back and when asked if James can play role as Maresca demands, the former Leicester City boss stated: “First of all he has to be fit and then slowly we will see. The most important thing for Reece is that finally he is fit. We have many players that are versatile and can play in different positions.”
In the absence of Reece James, Chelsea have won four out of seven league games and currently occupy fourth spot, four points behind leaders Liverpool.
