Reece james' world cup hopes in jeopardy after chelsea injury

Chelsea's World Cup dreams have been dealt a significant blow with the news that star right-back Reece James is set to miss several weeks after suffering a hamstring injury in Saturday's defeat to Newcastle.

Concerns over fitness persist

James, who only signed a new six-year contract with the Blues last week, felt the problem in his hamstring at the end of the match against the Magpies. The 26-year-old's latest setback raises serious doubts over his chances of making England's World Cup squad this summer.

Although the full extent of the injury is still to be determined by a scan, conservative estimates suggest James will be out for several weeks. This prolonged absence could see him miss a significant chunk of the remainder of the season, putting pressure on Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel to decide whether he can trust the defender to stay fit in time for the tournament.

England boss Gareth Southgate will already be without James for the upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan this month. Tuchel has a host of options to fill the right-back void, including Tino Livramento, Djed Spence, Jarell Quansah and even Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold on loan.

James has a history of hamstring problems, having missed both the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024 through injury. Chelsea have attempted to manage his fitness, but the defender has been given starts in five of the past six games by interim head coach Liam Rosenior.