James speaks on being captain at Chelsea

Chelsea defender and England international Reece James has expressed his excitement at being able to adorn the Blues’ captain band.

The Blues academy product was handed the band during Chelsea’s 1-1 draw vs Newcastle United in Atlanta by manager Mauricio Pochettino.

The full-back played for 65 minutes of the 1-1 draw in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which was an impressive feat given James hadn’t featured in match action since April.

‘It’s kind of all I know,’ said the England international. ‘I’ve been on loan once but came back after one season,’ James said in a statement via Chelsea’s website.

‘I’ve been at Chelsea my whole life; it’s always been Chelsea for me. It’s an honour to play for the club and to put the armband on was a great feeling.’

James added: ‘I haven’t played in three-and-a-half months, so it’s been a long time since I laced up. I felt good, it was a good step in the right direction for me. We’re training hard and it is paying off.’