Exclusive claims Chelsea could sell top earner this summer as he falls out of Maresca’s favour | OneFootball

The Sun‘s “Chelsea files” this week has some speculation about the future of Reece James.

They point out that Enzo Maresca’s team has settled into a pattern in recent games – Moises Caicedo at right back, Enzo Fernandez with Romeo Lavia in midfield. Fans don’t love it – but the manager does.

That’s relegated Reece James to the bench. When he starts, in the Conference League “B Team”, he plays in midfield.

James increasingly surplus to requirements as Maresca’s squad comes together

Enzo Maresca inlaid on Reece James. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

But that slot will soon be filled – Andrey Santos and Dario Essugo are arriving in a matter of weeks. Given Maresca has stated before that he really does see James as a midfielder, and that he doesn’t like to use him at full back because of the increased injury risk, the assumption the Sun make is that James could be sold off this summer.

The team’s captain and highest earner can’t be on the bench, especially if he’s buried as deep in the pecking order as he could be next season.

James still a tricky player to sell despite recent improvements

As ever when it comes to chatter about selling James, the question becomes who would actually pay good money – and his major wages – given his catastrophic injury history.

He’s shown some increased resilience since his latest return in January, and is on his best run of fitness for a good couple of years. But nobody is going to be trusting everything is OK just yet, especially while Chelsea keep him wrapped up in cotton wool, featuring him in lower intensity games and keeping him out of his natural position to protect him.

Anything could happen, but we don’t see an offer that tempts James or Chelsea arriving this summer.