Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has offered an update on his search for a new club captain, following the departure of long-serving Cesar Azpilicueta.
The Spanish full-back joined Atletico Madrid earlier in the window, but Pochettino is yet to name his successor as he continues to get to grips with his squad while on a pre-season tour of the United States.
There are a number of obvious contenders within the Chelsea squad who could become the next captain, with Thiago Silva the standout name. At 38-years-old, though, Pochettino could instead plan for the future and offer the armband to a younger member of the dressing room.
Speaking in a press conference at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, Pochettino suggested Reece James is a leading candidate.
“He’s one of the possibilities,” Pochettino said of James. “We were talking from day one about his objectives and how he was in the last year at the club. He feels Chelsea, he came from the academy and his profile is one of the players who can be the captain of the club in the future.”
James, who came through the academy but is still only 23-years-old, has played 147 times for Chelsea in all competitions and is among the leaders at the club. He's also recently committed his future to the club, too, signing a six-year contract that keeps him at Stamford Bridge until at least 2028.
He's also keen on becoming the new Chelsea captain, though suggests he isn't in a rush to don the armband.
“I’ve been at Chelsea my whole life and it’s something I’ve always dreamt of,” James said at the press conference. “When the time’s right hopefully it happens.
“I think everyone has a different way of being a leader. Some speak and some show their actions on the field. I think I could do both. I’d like to think so. I try and help my team as much as I can. There are a lot of young players and I’ll definitely be one to help them where I can.”
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Chelsea transfer news is starting to gather pace.
Having already signed Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson in attack, the Blues have been linked with a sensational swoop for Kylian Mbappe. The two-time European champions are still trying to offload Romelu Lukaku, though, with the striker thought to favour a move to Juventus.
Meanwhile, Chelsea could bring academy graduate Marc Guehi back to Stamford Bridge – just two years after selling the defender to Crystal Palace.
