Chelsea have earmarked 23-year-old to take club captaincy

Cesar Azpilicueta left Chelsea this summer to join Atletico Madrid and not only did the club lose their longest serving player and one of the few experienced players left in the group, they also lost their club captain.

Nobody will argue that Azpilicueta should have stayed and letting him go was the wrong decision, and in fact, many believed that he should have even been sold last summer with his decline being clear.

But the fact remains that Chelsea now do not have a club captain. Thiago Silva was the vice-captain last summer and could naturally step up as the main one this season.

However, The Daily Mail report that it is 23-year-old Reece James who has been earmarked as a future Chelsea captain.

The report also states that Frank Lampard highlighted January signing Enzo Fernandez’s leadership qualities during his caretaker stint.

They say there are other options though. Silva stands out but is not a long-term option, Kepa Arrizabalaga has worn the armband on a stand-in basis though not convinced between the sticks. Ben Chilwell told Mail Sport that he feels he is developing into more of a leader within the group since he returned from injury, and Raheem Sterling has been a captain for club and country.