Maresca and his coaching staff do not have a return date for James, after a recent hamstring injury failed to heal properly. The Chelsea right-back was originally sidelined due to a hamstring operation in December 2023,

Chelsea are a club with many - perceived and real - problems, but arguably the biggest likely won't be solved anytime soon.

According to TBR Football, there are as many as five players who have been placed on a shortlist of potential alternatives ahead of 2025. The standout names are said to be Barcelona 's Jules Kounde, who could also be used at centre-back, and the more attack-minded Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen.