With an increase in number of games played in a single season, injuries have become an increasing issue in the Premier League as well as other major leagues.
There are however some players that are known to be injury prone. These are players who despite not getting much action, are considered world-class and some of the best in the Premier League.
Reece James (Chelsea)
On the 10th of December, history repeated itself yet again. When Chelsea faced Everton at Goodison Park, Reece James was called off the pitch in the 27th minute due to injury.
The Blues went on to lose that game 2-0, with the loss of their captain to yet another injury adding to the magnitude of pain and disappointment.
On 12th December, Chelsea confirmed that Reece James was out due to a hamstring injury – not his first – following a medical assessment.
Reece had only recently come back from injury, so the timing is quite unfortunate for the right-back and his team.
Since his ankle injury in June 2016 that sidelined him for 112 days, the Chelsea captain has experienced multiple medical setbacks. The England international has made just eight appearances this season and has missed a total of 104 games due to injury since 2019.
A statistic that is hard to grasp as it seems quite unbelievable is that he has had seven instances since the 2020/21 season where he has had to step back from football due to hamstring issues. He has missed 40 matches in the last four seasons due to hamstring issues.
After fans calling for the player to get the surgery done for well over a year, Reece will now begin his rehabilitation programme at Cobham after a successful surgery. He is expected to be out until February or March.
🔵🏴 Reece James’ surgeron Lasse Lempainen: “I am very convinced that Reece will be in top shape before Euro 2024”, told @TeleFootball.
“Chelsea will decide on how long he takes, but more likely we are talking about three to four months”. pic.twitter.com/qy6gFWpHWN
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 22, 2023
Despite having not played five Premier League games in a row in over a year, he is still considered one of the best right-backs in the world when fit.
With six injured players out – most with long-term issues – Chelsea losing an important fullback will be a hard pill to swallow. It does not make their already hard season any easier.
Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
Twenty-three minutes into Manchester City’s first game of the 2023/24 season, Kevin de Bruyne limped off the pitch at Turf Moor.
His absence has been quite evident, as Manchester City‘s midfield has been shaky since. As a player who is known for delivering the perfect assists, his absence has hampered City’s ability to score goals massively.
After the game at Burnley, Pep Guardiola confirmed that it was the same hamstring ailment that kept De Bruyne from being at his best for a large part of last season.
Since 2016, the Belgian international has missed 124 games due to injury and fitness issues. His current setback – hamstring injury – is his fourth of the sort. On 19 August, Manchester City confirmed that the midfield maestro had undergone successful surgery on the hamstring injury he sustained against Burnley and have recently announced his return to training.
🚨🔵 Excellent news for Man City as Kevin de Bruyne is back — training with the squad in Saudi today. pic.twitter.com/EhZrpaU4AY
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 18, 2023
Manchester City is currently fourth in the Premier League standings, five points behind current title leaders Liverpool. De Bruyne’s return to pitch action will be a boost for City giving them a better chance at being strong title contenders. Guardialo’s team was eighth on Christmas Day and still went on to win the title in the 2020/21 season – a statement that counting them out is not realistic.