The FA have queried Chelsea’s decision not to send him home sooner
The Football Association are reportedly furious with Chelsea‘s treatment of Reece James after the full-back all-but confirmed he will miss the World Cup with a knee injury next month.
James had looked set to be a part of Gareth Southgate’s England squad, but injured his knee in the Champions League group game against AC Milan last week.
The 22-year-old hobbled off during the second half of the 2-0 win at the San Siro.
Instead of flying home for a thorough assessment to determine the extent of the damage, James was permitted to remain in Milan for a day off with the rest of his teammates.
He flew back to London on Wednesday evening, undergoing a scan on Thursday which revealed ligament damage. According to the Daily Mail, James returned on an easyJet flight, without medical support and without a brace – though he was provided with extra leg room.
James tweeted on Saturday that the ‘race against time’ was on, but suggested he hadn’t given up hope of making it to the World Cup.
The race against time is on… But we won’t give up.
— Reece James (@ReeceJames) October 15, 2022
Earlier on Wednesday, he had posed for pictures with a number of Chelsea supporters and had apparently been using his free time for sightseeing.
The same report claims FA staff have questioned the decision to allow him to remain in Italy instead of flying back to receive instant treatment.
Though James has since seen a specialist and there are no immediate plans for surgery, his hopes of making the plane to Doha now appear in serious doubt.
It also follows the news that Manchester City defender Kyle Walker faces a race against time to recover from his own injury in time for the start of the tournament.
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