Reece James Injured Before Chelsea's Season Starts

Chelsea defender Reece James has encountered a setback as he suffers a new hamstring injury just before the start of the season. The 24-year-old experienced discomfort during training at Cobham following the team's return from their pre-season tour in the USA. His injury became apparent when he was substituted 70 minutes into Chelsea's final pre-season friendly against Real Madrid, with Wesley Fofana taking his place. Despite a promising summer where he participated in all five of Chelsea's pre-season matches, James has now been ruled out of the upcoming warm-up match against Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge. Club sources, speaking anonymously to The Athletic, have described the injury as minor. Chelsea plans to take a cautious approach to his recovery, especially since he is already suspended for the first three games of the season due to a previous red card. Malo Gusto is expected to step in for James during his absence. The defender received a four-game ban after being sent off against Brighton & Hove Albion in the previous season's penultimate match. Chelsea is eyeing a potential return for James in their match against Bournemouth on September 14, following the international break. However, concerns linger regarding James's recurring hamstring issues, which have previously limited his playing time. Last season, he managed to start only five Premier League games after undergoing surgery in December to address a persistent problem in his left leg.