Reece James feels he is in a “good place” after returning from injury hell to play a prominent role for Chelsea and England this season, while he also hailed the signing of Liam Delap.
Knee and hamstring injuries have dogged James’s career over the past three years and heavily limited the Blues captain’s game time for both club and country.
This season has seen the 25-year-old turn a corner in that regard, however, helping Chelsea to Conference League glory and a return to the Champions League as well as scoring his first senior international goal with a free-kick in a World Cup qualifier against Latvia in March.
James is set to start for England again on Saturday when they face Group K minnows Andorra at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona.
Asked to reflect on the injuries he has had to endure in recent years, James said at an England press conference on Friday evening: “I had a difficult two or three seasons, always being injured, coming back and breaking down again. It was tough.
“It takes a lot out of you when you have had so many setbacks.
“And yet this season I feel I have come on leaps and bounds, playing on a consistent basis and getting selected for England again.”
James added: “I’m feeling strong and, for sure, I’m moving in the right direction. I finished off the season strongly, and I feel like I’m in a good place.”
Chelsea have bolstered their squad this week ahead of the inaugural expanded summer Club World Cup, beating a number of transfer rivals including Manchester United to the £30million signing of Ipswich striker Delap.
The 22-year-old will be heading to the United States with his new club later this month rather than to the Under-21 European Championship in Slovakia, with James expressing his happiness with the deal.
“He’s had a great season at Ipswich and I’m very happy he’s going to be joining us for next season,” he said. “He’s a great player and I’m delighted he’s with us.”
