Reece James back in Chelsea training ahead of EFL Cup final

Chelsea right-back Reece James has made his return to the training pitches ahead of Sunday's EFL Cup final with Liverpool.

The 22-year-old has been dealing with a serious thigh issue for the past couple of months and was unable to make his comeback against Lille in midweek after catching the flu.

However, Thomas Tuchel has affirmed that James has been making great strides in his recovery, and the defender could now be on course for a comeback at Wembley.

Footage from training shared on Chelsea's Twitter account shows James taking part in a small-sided game with his teammates and even producing a classy finish into the top corner of the net.

Look who's back in training! 😁 pic.twitter.com/h9ptLVXyEF

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 24, 2022

James therefore has a strong chance of making the squad for the clash with Liverpool, but Hakim Ziyech, Mateo Kovacic and Callum Hudson-Odoi are all doubts for the Blues.

James's hamstring issue has seen him miss 12 games for the European champions in all competitions, but the England international has amassed five goals and six assists from 23 games when fit this season.