Chelsea have a gem with “absolutely everything in his game”, according to pundit

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Chelsea youngster Reece James has received huge praise from Liverpool legend and pundit Graeme Souness.

The 20-year-old full-back has become an important part of the Chelsea first-team since Frank Lampard became manager last season, with the Blues boss doing well to hand first-team opportunities to many of the club’s promising academy players.

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The likes of Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori have also shone under Lampard, but James is arguably the pick of the bunch after cementing his place as the club’s first-choice right-back.

Already a full England international as well, James looks like having a great career ahead of him, and Souness has given him some very high praise after Chelsea’s win over Sheffield United.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ coverage of the game, as quoted by the Metro, the pundit made it clear just how highly he rates James by praising his strength and ability and generally making it clear what a fine all-rounder he looks like.

“In Reece James, he’s a top player,” Souness said. “Given his age, he’s going to get better and better.

“I’ve not talked about his strength, his pace, his delivery, and in terms of defending he looks like he’s got that already.

Reece James in action for Chelsea

“So you can only see him getting better and better.”

He added: “You think of the modern game, if you’re playing against this Liverpool team one of the priorities would be trying to stop Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold because the full-back in a modern game isn’t a defender first and foremost, it’s someone who can do a bit of defender but gets up the pitch and when he gets into the attacking third he can deliver on it. When you get someone who can defend then what a real bonus that is.

“I think Reece James is all of that. I think he’s got absolutely everything in his game. So for Chelsea it looks like they’ve won the lottery in the full-back positions.

“He looks like the finished article already at 20.”

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