The new Chelsea manager is currently in the process of figuring out who he wants as his new skipper
(Image credit: Getty Images)
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.
Reece James has become a leader at Chelsea in recent seasons (Image credit: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
He's also keen on becoming the new Chelsea captain, though suggests he isn't in a rush to don the armband.
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“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.”
Pochettino suggests James is a leading contender to become the new captain (Image credit: Getty Images)
Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.
