Here is why Reece James was withdrawn from England squad

Chelsea captain Reece James has withdrawn from the England squad for this month's international fixtures after picking up an injury in the Premier League game against Liverpool.

The injury to the Blues right-back has been properly managed by Enzo Maresca since he joined since the 2024/25 season from Leicester City. However, the club’s supporters will hope James gets back to full fitness before the international break comes to an end.

On James Instagram though, he revealed that he had suffered a nasty gash on his leg, likely from the stud of an opposition player. This could point to the decision being made as a precaution, especially with the importance of England’s fixtures being far lower for these games.

The defender had been named in Thomas Tuchel's original squad for the October internationals against Wales and Latvia. Manchester City’s midfielder Nico O'Reilly has received his first senior England call-up, moving up from the Under-21s squad as a replacement for Reece James.

O'Reilly has been with City since he was eight, made 21 appearances and scored five goals for the Manchester club last season as he broke into their first team. He was part of manager Pep Guardiola's squad at the Club World Cup in the summer and has made nine outings for City this season.

England face Wales at Wembley on Thursday, October 9, 2025, before travelling to Riga to take on Latvia in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.

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