Chelsea look to promote academy star Reece James next season

Bengaluru, April 3: Chelsea are looking to promote Reece James to the senior squad to challenge Cesar Azpilicueta next season, according to reports.

The Blues are facing a crisis situation in strengthening the squad with two windows of transfer ban loitering on their head and one of the most obvious ways of improving the side now is to turn their attention to the club's loan system.

The west London outfit currently have 41 players continuing loan spells at other clubs around the world and reportedly among them 19-year-old right back Reece James has caught the eye most.

The England Under-20 international has been on loan at Wigan all season and made forty impressive appearances so far which has gotten him a place in the Championship team of the year last week.

Chelsea now look to promote the youngster in the senior squad next season and is expected to be offered a deputy role of current first team right-back Azpilicueta.

Maurizio Sarri's apparent lack of faith in Cesar Azpilicueta's backup, Davide Zappacosta, makes James' involvement all the more likely.

Zappacosta has looked out of sorts since his £23million arrival from Torino back in 2017 and the defender is expected to be sold in the coming Summer. In his position, the club reportedly hope James' reintegration will add squad depth and also soothe fans who are calling for Sarri to put his faith in youth.

James, who joined Chelsea at the age of six, was part of the England side that won the European Under-19 Championships in 2017. He has also claimed two FA Youth Cups and two Under 18 Premier League titles at Chelsea and was named the club's Academy Player of the Year in 2018.

Moreover, James' involvement in the squad will help Chelsea meet the homegrown quota required for the Premier League and European competitions.

Chelsea have already lost a bunch of homegrown players in January with Cesc Fabregas and Victor Moses and another set of players like Gary Cahill, Danny Drinkwater and Rob Green are also likely to depart at the end of the campaign. The Blues now intend to fill up some of the position from their academy lot and James could be the first of many names to be associated next term.