5 Players who could flourish at Chelsea due to their transfer ban

Modified Feb 26, 2019 11:59 GMT

Could Tammy Abraham finally become Chelsea's first-choice striker when the transfer ban kicks in?

#5 Reece James

Left-back Reece James has been playing excellently this season at Wigan

Chelsea currently have 41 players out on loan, ranging from fully-fledged internationals like Kurt Zouma and Tiemoue Bakayoko to highly-rated youngsters like Lewis Baker, Trevoh Chalobah and Jake Clark-Salter. One player who seems to be flying under the radar, though – but could definitely make an impact in Chelsea’s first team next season – is Reece James.

The 18-year old right back is currently playing on loan at Championship side Wigan, and by anyone’s standards, he’s having a pretty great season. James has appeared in all 33 of Wigan’s league games, starting in 32 of them, scoring 1 goal and making 2 assists, and he was named Player of the Month in September. More impressively, he’s been named Man of the Match by WhoScored on 5 occasions and has a solid average rating of 7.06.

More to the point, right-back isn’t the strongest position for Chelsea right now; Cezar Azpilicueta has primarily been used in the position this season but is arguably better at centre-back, while Davide Zappacosta has yet to really impress. And with captain Azpilicueta getting no younger at 29, next season could be the perfect opportunity for James to return and break into the Blues’ side.

With the transfer ban about to kick in, it isn’t like Chelsea will have much choice if they were to look for a new first-choice right-back – or even a backup to Azpilicueta – and James is young enough to be able to learn his craft from the Spanish veteran and then take his place at some point down the line. Assuming he returns to Stamford Bridge in the summer, James could be one to watch next season.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

Know More

Edited by Kingshuk Kusari