Former Chelsea player Xabi Alonso believes that right-back Reece James has the potential to become one of the world's best midfield players. James is being utilized as a midfielder by Chelsea manager Graham Potter after the club lost out on signing Lamine Camara and sold Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City for £125m, leaving them with four other midfielders. Alonso thinks that James' intelligence, awareness, and confidence make him well-suited to playing in midfield. He expects James to have a significant role in Chelsea's team this season.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
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Story summary
Xabi Alonso, a former Liverpool midfielder, recently predicted that Reece James, the captain of Chelsea, can become one of the world's best midfield players despite being primarily a right-back. This prediction comes after Enzo Fernandez's departure to Manchester City for a club-record £125m, leaving Chelsea with only four midfielders: Moises Caicedo, Valentin Barco, Jordan Henderson, and Romeo Lavia. Alonso believes that James has the intelligence, confidence, and awareness to succeed in midfield, citing his ability to connect with teammates and make smart decisions on the field.
Written for “Chelsea Midfield Options” on 2026-09-05,
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Leaning score +0.35 for article 3954 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-04
That is despite the fact Chelsea wanted to have one midfielder more than they are heading into the first half of the season with, following the dramatic collapse of their £47m deal to sign Lamine Camara when Monaco pulled out at the last minute despite a written email agreement.
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Monaco → want → agreement
Following the Camara deal breaking down and the £125m club-record sale of Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City, Chelsea have been left with Moises Caicedo, Valentin Barco, Jordan Henderson and Romeo Lavia as their only midfielders.
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Chelsea → follow → midfielders
Alongside those four, in the manager’s mind, is captain Reece James, who is a right-back by trade but expected to play more regularly in midfield.
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who → expect → midfield
James is widely regarded as one of the world’s best right-backs, and Alonso was asked whether he believes the 26-year-old can earn the same status among the game’s very best midfield players.
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old → regard → players
“I would say so,” Alonso said.
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Alonso → say → ?
“I would say that he's very comfortable, very confident playing in that position.
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he → say → position
He has the intelligence to play there.
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He → have → intelligence
He has the intelligence to connect with team-mates around in the middle to know what's the best thing before and after you get the ball.
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you → have → ball
“And he has this awareness.
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he → have → awareness
I remember seeing him play very well in the middle.
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him → remember → middle
So yes, we are using him.
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we → use → him
He will have a lot of minutes in there as a first midfielder.”
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He → have → midfielder
Despite suggestions from the fanbase that five midfielders including James leaves Chelsea light in the position, Alonso insisted: “We have this feeling with the squad that we are good to go.
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we → include → squad
If we have these setbacks in the season with injuries and suspensions, we have this feeling that we will be able to manage.
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we → have → feeling
“Time will tell, but at the moment he's having a very important role in that position.
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he → tell → position
I knew [before I joined] that he could play there.”
uncertain
he → know → ?
Meanwhile, Alonso said he “can’t got into details” when asked about the times he nearly joined Arsenal as a player.
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he → say → player
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In 2008 and 2009, Arsene Wenger and Arsenal made concerted efforts to sign the Spanish midfielder but Liverpool felt the Gunners never offered funds in line with their valuation of Alonso.
“Those are old stories,” smiled Alonso, ahead of Sunday’s visit to the Emirates to take on the defending champions.
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Alonso → read → champions
“Every summer many things happen, like this summer.
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things → happen → summer
I can't go into details.”
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I → go → details
