Chelsea suffered yet another cup final defeat to Liverpool in the EFL Cup final on Sunday afternoon.
The 1-0 extra-time loss means that the Blues have now lost to the Anfield side in all three of their domestic cup finals since Jürgen Klopp took over as manager in 2015.
Indeed, the Stamford Bridge side have now tasted defeat in six successive English domestic cup finals and while this run will end at some point in the future, Mauricio Pochettino could have turned a corner by leading his side to glory in the Wembley showpiece.
Question marks now linger over his management and big things need to happen in order for the club to secure a top-half finish in the Premier League.
Might things have been different had the Argentinian been able to call upon a few injured players? The likes of Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Robert Sanchez, and Reece James all missed the final due to various injuries.
James, in particular, has been a big miss for the Blues recently and the sooner he is fit, the better for the team.
Not only that, but the Englishman’s value is continuing to rise, and he is now worth more than Cole Palmer, despite the former Manchester City starlet shining for Chelsea this term.
Cole Palmer’s market value at Chelsea
Last summer, Pochettino managed to lure Palmer away from City down to London in a deal worth £40m and his form up until now has shown that it could even turn into a bargain for the club.
Despite helping City win the treble last season, regular game time was looking hard to come by due to the riches Pep Guardiola has at his disposal and his move to Chelsea may have worked out better for his long-term career.
So far during his stint at Stamford Bridge, the 21-year-old has scored 12 goals and grabbed nine assists in 30 matches, and he is currently the top scorer in the team, proving how good a move it was for the club.
Not only that, but Palmer also ranks first among the squad in the top flight for shots per game (2.2), along with leading the way for big chances created (eight) and ranking second for successful dribbles per game (1.3), once again, evidence that he is outshining his more established teammates.
These performances mean the attacking midfielder is currently valued at €32.3m (£27.5m) according to Football Transfers, and this will only continue to rise if he maintains his current form over the rest of the season.
While Palmer has arguably been Chelsea’s most effective player, James’ value certainly trumps that of the young sensation and results could improve once he returns to the starting XI.
Reece James’ market value at Chelsea
The 24-year-old has not had the best of luck with injuries in recent months. Since the start of the 2022/23 season, James has missed a grand total of 54 matches due to a succession of injuries, and he was even ruled out of England’s 2022 World Cup squad because of a knee injury.
This has resulted in the defender playing fewer matches and his market value has actually dropped from a career high of €69.4m (£59m), which was achieved back in November 2022, as his injury problems were getting worse.
At the time of writing, this has fallen to a valuation of €42.7m (£36.5m), but there is no doubt this will begin to rise steadily once he makes his return to the first-team squad before the end of the season.
While his value may have dropped over the previous 12 months, he is still valued more than Palmer currently – as per Football Transfers – and his performance in a Chelsea shirt since making his debut has justified this value.
Why Reece James’ market value is so high
The right-back spent a season on loan at Championship side Wigan Athletic during the 2018/19 campaign, making 46 appearances for the club, and due to the transfer embargo which engulfed Chelsea at the time, Frank Lampard had to utilise the players at his disposal during his maiden season at the club.
He ended up making 37 appearances for the Blues in all competitions, ending up on the losing side in the FA Cup final, but his potential was obvious.
2023/24
9
0
2022/23
24
2
2021/22
39
6
2020/21
47
1
2019/20
39
2
The 2020/21 season ended in Champions League success, and James was excellent during the whole campaign, creating three big chances and succeeding with 50% of his dribble attempts as the Blues won their second title in the event, defeating City 1-0 in the final.
Despite injuries limiting his Premier League appearances to just 16 last season, he was among Chelsea’s better performers across a range of metrics.
Among the squad, the Englishman ranked third for overall Sofascore rating (7.19), while also ranking sixth for accurate passes per game (48.3), third for key passes per game (1.3) and fifth for successful dribbles per game (1.4) in the top flight as he showcased his attacking abilities from right-back.
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright hailed the defender following his return from injury last term during his appearance on the Kelly and Wrighty show (via TEAMtalk), saying: “He’s got everything,” said Wright. “Defending, attacking, technical ability. Everything.
“Everything in respects of a right-back right now, I think him and Hakimi are the best in the world right now. He’s just brilliant, he’s a fantastic player.”
High praise from a player who knew how to perform at the highest level and, while he remains on the sidelines, it is evident that James is one of the club’s most valuable players.
Pochettino needs him back in the squad sooner rather than later, especially as they are struggling in the Premier League this term.
James was even made captain for Chelsea during five of his eight league matches this season, which shows how highly regarded he is under Pochettino.
If the 5 foot 7 defender can make a return during the final couple months of the season, his presence might boost the Blues and their quest to secure as high a league finish as possible.
This could give the manager some breathing room and set the club up for a solid 2024/25 campaign in the process.