New Chelsea manager told why he has to deliver bad news to Reece James
Ex-Chelsea star Emmanuel Petit believes Reece James “cannot be the captain” next season under the Blues’ new manager.
The England defender was appointed captain last summer after Cesar Azpilicueta completed a move to Spanish side Atletico Madrid. It signalled a huge moment for James following his rise from academy starlet to established first-team performer.
The 24-year-old has struggled to fulfil the role though. Ongoing injury issues restricted him to just 11 appearances this season, while he has also missed out on a place in the England squad for this summer’s Euros..
Petit believes that whoever is in charge of Chelsea next season should give the captaincy to someone more reliable. Speaking on behalf of BoyleSports, who offer the latest Euro 2024 betting, the Frenchman said: “We all know James is such a great player and we’re always crossing our fingers that he plays as much as possible.
“However, how much has he played in the last three years? It’s nowhere near enough. You cannot be the captain when you miss the majority of games - it reminds me of Abou Diaby at Arsenal when you could just never rely on him due to his unfortunate injuries.
“Conor Gallagher should be the club captain, it certainly needs to be considered by the new manager. Gallagher is a symbol on the pitch and plays every game so it has to be him.”
The decision over the club captaincy is now with whoever is in charge next term. A number of names have already been linked including Kieran McKenna of Ipswich and Leicester ’s Enzo Maresca.
Reece James
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The Blues face plenty of competition for the former. Man United have also been linked as they search for a potential Erik ten Hag replacement.
Brighton are also in the race for McKenna as they aim to replace Roberto De Zerbi. Meanwhile, Chelsea star James has sent a touching message to Mauricio Pochettino after his Stamford Bridge exit.
Taking to Instagram, he said: “Thank you for everything boss. We had an amazing relationship from the moment we met. I never played as much as I would have hoped under you, which I am sorry for but also something I couldn’t control.
“You believed in me and gave me a huge responsibility when many others doubted me. Also a special mention to the other staff that played a huge roll that not many others would see, Jesus Perez, Toni Jimenez, Miguel D’Agostino, Sebastiano Pochettino. Thank you all and good luck in the future!”
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