Reece James’ importance continues to rise at Chelsea, even after all the injury issues.
Liam Rosenior has made good use of Reece James‘ versatility since being appointed as Chelsea boss, playing at right-back, the heart of the defence and central midfield.
James remains the heartbeat of Chelsea, serving as the club captain. He recently celebrated his 50th game as captain in the 3-2 win over Napoli after coming through the academy ranks.
Levi Colwill even suggested that James is better than Frank Lampard and Cesc Fabregas, which shows how highly his teammates rate him.
And Shim Mheuka feels the same in the academy.
Complete our XI to face Arsenal!
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
Shim Mheuka has been inspired by Reece James
Shim Mheuka has been making a name for himself in the youth ranks. The 18-year-old has scored 19 goals and laid on four assists in 22 appearances in all competitions.
The striker has made two appearances for the Chelsea first team in the 2025/26 season, both coming as a substitute in the Carabao Cup.
He’s cited Reece James as great help for his rise in the academy, as per Chelsea‘s official website.
Are there leaders you look up to and has being around Reece James influenced you?
“Definitely. I’ve always looked up to players like Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba because of their passion, mentality and leadership. Being around Reece James has helped a lot too. Watching how he leads, how he prepares and how he treats his team-mates has been really inspiring for me.”
What should Liam Rosenior do with Shim Mheuka?🤔
He’s too good to be in the academy!
Photo by Chris Lee – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
Shim Mheuka offers something different for Chelsea
While Liam Delap provides a more traditional physical presence and Joao Pedro operates as a creative link-man, Mheuka is a complete forward who thrives on high-intensity movement and directness.
His greatest asset for the current squad is his ability to play with his back to goal as comfortably as he runs in behind, bringing his teammates into play and shielding the ball.
And it’s easy to see why he looks up to Reece James, as Mheuka has been described as similar, having captained the Under-19 and Under-21 side.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
