Enzo Maresca has made it clear that he would honestly love to start Reece James in every single match, but reality keeps tapping him on the shoulder. Because of James’s long, frustrating run with injuries, Maresca says the club has to be wiser with his minutes if they want him available for the long haul.
As reported by Fabrizio Romano via his official X account.
He said:
Enzo Maresca: I’d like to start Reece James in every game, but we need to see. He has been a full-back his whole life. He has also played as a midfielder. He can be good in both positions.
According to him, the whole idea is to keep James fit not just for a couple of fixtures, but throughout the entire season, something Chelsea have badly missed in recent years.
Softfootball understands that Reece James has been in fine form for Chelsea this season, featuring in both the recent 1-1 draw against Arsenal in the Premier League and also in Chelsea’s 3-0 win in the Champions League against Barcelona.
Maresca also highlighted James’s versatility, which is something he actually needs in this Chelsea team. While right-back remains his natural home, James has shown he can operate comfortably in central midfield too.
One of Maresca’s main considerations is workload. Playing full-back demands a lot of high intensity, the kind that piles pressure on a player with James’s injury history. Pushing him into midfield occasionally, Maresca says, might ease that burden in certain matches.
Still, nothing is set in stone. This season alone, James has been used at right-back, left-back, and central midfield, and Maresca insists that the choice always depends on the match plan, the opponent, and the physical battle expected in midfield.
What remains constant, though, is how highly he rates James. Maresca calls him a top player, someone whose leadership, technique, and presence lift the entire team regardless of where he lines up.
But at the end of the day, fitness, more than talent, will decide how often he starts. Chelsea want James on the pitch, but they want him there for the long run, not just in short, brilliant flashes.
