Reece James responds as ex-Chelsea teammate returns after six years
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Jonathan Burnett
Wed 3 September 2025 15:08, UK
England manager Thomas Tuchel has turned to another of his former Chelsea players after Reece James’ return to the international arena.
Tuchel‘s success in cup competitions at both Chelsea and PSG proved to be a factor in the FA hiring him to finally end England’s hunt for success in major tournaments, ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
The German welcomed his former Chelsea skipper James back into the England fold for his first matches in charge of the Three Lions, and was rewarded with a free-kick from James against Albania at Wembley.
England‘s upcoming matches aganst Andorra and Serbia come after they suffered the first defeat of Tuchel’s tenure against Senegal in June, and he has turned to a surprise name to help the Three Lions bounce back.
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Crystal Palace retained Adam Wharton this summer amid late interest from Manchester United, but Tuchel won’t have the 21-year-old at his disposal for September’s matches after he withdrew injured.
Tuchel has turned left-field to find Wharton’s replacement in the squad, and called on a player who hasn’t featured for England since 2018 in the form of AC Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Loftus-Cheek joined up with the England squad after winning the last of his 10 caps in a friendly win over the USA in 2018, and posted on Instagram to celebrate his return from the international wilderness.
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The 29-year-old’s post was captioned with three ‘lion’ emojis, and was met with a like from his former Chelsea team-mate James and the message of; “Mandem” from AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
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Football Insider Verdict
Loftus-Cheek’s return to the England setup comes after two solid seasons in Serie A following his departure from Chelsea, which came in the season after Tuchel was sacked by the Blues in 2022.
James and Loftus-Cheek are the only members of England’s current squad who played under Tuchel at Chelsea, but his is also expected to include more Cobham products in Marc Guehi and Tino Livramento.
Callum Hudson-Odoi has also been tipped to return under Tuchel and add another link to his time at Chelsea, but for the time being, it’s clear the German’s success at Stamford Bridge will still provide the blueprint for England next summer.