Chelsea captain Reece James has posted a message via social media on Saturday morning just hours before the game against Nottingham Forest.
Chelsea travel to Nottingham on Saturday evening to play Forest in a 5:30pm kick-off.
It’s certainly an important Premier League fixture for both sides, albeit for different reasons.
Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea side currently sit seventh in the league table and are firmly in the mix to qualify for europe.
Meanwhile, Forest are 17th in the division standings and remain battling relegation. If results go their way at the weekend, their top-flight status could be safe for another year.
Reece James sends tweet to Chelsea fans
Reece James has dropped a massive hint on Saturday morning that he’ll be part of Chelsea’s matchday squad versus Forest.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Pochettino shared that James could “maybe” be available to return to Chelsea’s squad for this next league fixture.
The 24-year-old Blues captain hasn’t played a match since December after surgery on an injury, so seeing him back with the group would be a massive boost.
James wrote via X: “See you at 5:30 Blues.”
What happens to Malo Gusto next season?
If James is fit and firing, he should be the first name in the Chelsea XI.
His biggest obstacle for the rest of 2024 is to prove his fitness and get back to leading his team on the pitch.
However, it can’t be understated how good a job Malo Gusto has done as cover at right-back for James during most of this season.
The 20-year-old full-back has been fantastic in his debut season for the Blues, creating eight assists in 34 matches.
You could make a good case for rotating Gusto and James at right-back next season, especially given the latter’s poor injury record. Alternatively, James is a potential option as a right-sided centre-half, or Gusto can play left-back.
