Pochettino confirms a contender to become Chelsea's next captain

The Blues are yet to appoint a new captain following Cesar Azpilicueta’s summer departure.

Reece James is a candidate to become the next Chelsea captain, according to manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Earlier this summer, Azpilicueta pulled the curtain on an 11-year Blues career to join LaLiga side Atletico Madrid, leaving Chelsea without a captain for the moment.

Now a contender to replace Azpilicueta has emerged in James. The academy graduate may only be 23, but he’s already an established member of the first team. He is back after an injury-hit campaign in 2022/23, which he described as “the lowest of lows in my career”.

“I’ve been at Chelsea my whole life and it’s something I’ve always dreamt of. When the time’s right hopefully it happens,” James said of the Chelsea captaincy.

“He feels Chelsea,” Pochettino said about James after confirming the defender is a candidate.

“His profile is one of the players who can be the captain of the club in the future.”

On the kind of captain he would be at Chelsea, James said: “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 [anyway]. I try and help my team as much as I can. There are a lot of young players and I’ll be one to help them where I can.”

James started for Chelsea in Wednesday’s 1-1 friendly draw against Newcastle United in Atlanta.