England and Chelsea star Reece James will be in Dubai this week as he continues his rehabilitation from injury ahead of the Fifa World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
James insists he still has time to recover from the knee problem threatening to keep him out of the finals that begin on November 20.
The 22-year-old right-back hurt his knee in Chelsea's 2-0 Champions League win over AC Milan on October 11 – an injury Graham Potter suggested would sideline him for eight weeks, ruling him out of the tournament.
But with less than two weeks until Gareth Southgate names his 26-man squad on November 10, James believes he still has a chance of playing in the Middle East.
“I need to keep working hard over the next few weeks and see where I am on call-up day,” he told The Sun. “I will try and not rule myself out. It is still slow and in the early stages.
“I have been in rehab for two weeks, so I am still taking it day-by-day. The Chelsea medical staff have not given me a percentage of my chance of being back for the World Cup. It is down to how I feel closer to the time and how stable it is.”
On Monday, Chelsea announced that James will continue his recovery, under the supervision of their medical staff, in Dubai.
“Reece James and Wesley Fofana will continue their rehabilitation programmes this week in Dubai. A member of the Chelsea medical department will accompany them,” the club said in a statement.
Defender Fofana has been out of action for several weeks due to strained knee ligaments sustained during the Champions League win over AC Milan at Stamford Bridge.
