When did Reece James sign for Chelsea?

James signed for Chelsea at Under-9 level having trained at Cobham since the age of six. He progressed steadily through the Academy ranks having initially started out as a striker before moving further back into midfield and defence, where he settled as a combative and energetic full-back, although those attacking instincts have remained with him over the years.

He was a key figure in our Treble-winning Under-18s season in 2016/17, with his versatility a key attribute for coach Jody Morris, who used him at right-back, wing-back and in a central defensive back three throughout the campaign. The FA Youth Cup was retained once again and James played in every game, scoring a brilliant header in the semi-final at White Hart Lane.



The Londoner continued his good form in the following campaign, captaining the youth team to another Youth Cup triumph and being named Academy Player of the Year. In June 2018, he signed a new four-year Chelsea contract and went on loan to Wigan in the second tier, where he was a huge success.

