Chelsea's recent form has been underwhelming to say the least. In a week that saw a goalless draw with Bournemouth before a 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa, fans have been left bemused and reeling. It's especially emphatic, given the billion-pound injection from owner Todd Boehly, but also the raw mediocrity on display under such a highly respected manager in Mauricio Pochettino.
With his side sitting in 14th and three games without a goal, Pochettino was led to provide some semi-scathing analysis of his young group. He mentioned they needed to "grow up like a team" but wistfully accepted that players "need to learn and make mistakes" in order to improve.
So, a point to a lack of Premier League experience? The average age of the Blues side that lost to an Ollie Watkins-inspired Aston Villa was 24.9 years. Despite this, there are still some youngsters who can step up to the plate, possessing that natural leadership. A noticeable absentee, and fine example of this, is Reece James.
Where did Reece James come from?
Born into a football-mad family in Redbridge that included coach father, Nigel and later younger sister Lauren, Reece James shone at junior grassroots level with Kew Park Rangers and Epsom Eagles. So much so, that he was snatched up by Chelsea at just six years old. There was clearly something in the water down there, as Chelsea went back for teammate Conor Gallagher just two years later in 2008.
Initially, the now marauding wingback James actually began life as a striker. He idolised Didier Drogba yet had to settle with playing further back in order to keep his place. For a quickly adapting player of his nature, this was little issue as first he went down to defensive midfield before the more current familiar right back position.
How much was Reece James worth at the start?
2017 was when James' mainstream emergence started to enter its first real phase. He turned pro that year and topped that by being named Chelsea's Academy Player of the Season as he captained the U18 side to 2017-18's FA Youth Cup victory. He wasn't just knocking on the door of the first team, he was nearly smashing it off its hinges as he received a fresh four-year deal in 2018.
Progress was brilliant, yet with the talent at Maurizio Sarri's exposure, James had to find game time elsewhere. Wigan Athletic was the loan destination and a perfect platform for James. From his free kick goal against Leeds, to earning a place in the Championship Team of the Season – the DW Stadium proved to be a match made in heaven as he proved he could compete in senior men's football.
After that season in which he picked up three club awards including Player of the Year, Reece James' value rose from around £3.5m to nearer £6m, as per Football Transfers' expected transfer value model.
Just how good is Reece James when he's fully fit?
In an almost cruel turn of events, Reece James has been gifted with a superb skill set – yet seemingly a hamstring made of blu-tac. Before being plagued with that injury this term, it was his knee. Whilst being set back though, there have been serious glimpses of his world-class capabilities.
When fit, the 5 foot 10 23-year-old James is up there among the top wingbacks in the top five leagues. If his skills aren't broadly summarised enough from the Sofascore graphic above, looking at his in-depth data reinforces his prevalence as a top name in his position.
What is Reece James worth now?
FBref data shows that in the last year, Reece James has proved a progressive cog for a Chelsea side that relies on his creativity from the right wing-back position. Particularly eye-catching, are the numbers that find him in the upper reaches of his peers. James has 1.83 successful take-ons per 90 minutes – putting him in the top 5% in his position among full-backs in Europe.
Add to that, his penchant for progressive passes (6.33 per 90) and shot-creating actions (3.46 per 90) those numbers still find him in the top 10%. His expected assists (0.18 per 90) are just outside the top 10%, and given Chelsea's misfiring tendencies last term, his actual assist rate (0.07 per 90) is perhaps more telling of the players around him.
According to Football Transfers, James' market valuation has now soared astronomically, a telling indication of just how well he has developed at Stamford Bridge. Indeed, his current valuation is €57.1m – working out at around £50m. When he returns, could he be the difference-maker for a floundering Chelsea? Only time will tell. The numbers suggest the progressive stalwart could well play his part.