It is not always particularly significant when a manager says his player can be one of the best in the world. But it is probably worth taking notice when Xabi Alonso articulates his belief that Reece James can be one of the best midfielders on the planet.
For Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Spain, Alonso was one of the finest midfielders of his generation and also played with some of the best midfielders in the world. So the Chelsea manager knows a thing or two about what it takes.
James has long been considered – when fit – one of the best right-backs in the world. But it had already been evident before the final 24 hours of the transfer window that the Chelsea player would spend a lot of time in midfield under Alonso.
And the dramatic events of deadline day all but confirmed that James's primary position, at least for the first half of the season, will be in midfield after Chelsea sold Enzo Fernández and saw Monaco pull the plug on their attempt to sign Lamine Camara.
Asked if James can be one of the best midfielders in the world, as well as one of the best right-backs, Alonso said: "I would say so. I would say that he's very comfortable, very confident playing in that position. He has the intelligence to play there. He has the intelligence to connect with team-mates in the middle, to know what's the best thing before and after you get the ball. He has this awareness. I remember seeing him play very well in the middle. So yes, we are using him and he will have a lot of minutes in there as a midfielder."
Chelsea travel to Arsenal for their first big test of the season on Sunday and their London rivals already know how good James can be in midfield. He produced his best performance in that position after Moisés Caicedo had been sent off just 38 minutes into the game between the two sides at Stamford Bridge last season. Inspired by James, 10-man Chelsea managed to secure a 1-1 draw and Alonso picked out some of his other midfield performances as proof that the 26-year-old can excel in the position.
"I knew he could play there," said Alonso. "I remember the Club World Cup final [against Paris Saint-Germain] in New York. He played with Moi [Caicedo] in the middle as well against Liverpool, I think he played there last year. It's not new for him. It's not that I'm discovering something."
Chelsea are sweating on the fitness of Caicedo before the trip to Arsenal, but Alonso evidently sees James as a partner for any of Caicedo, Roméo Lavia, Jordan Henderson, Valentín Barco or Malo Gusto, who can also play at full-back or in midfield.
Asked if James will spend most of the season in midfield, Alonso said: "Time will tell, but at the moment he's having a very important role in that position."
Xabi Alonso will need to lean on James in the coming months - AP/Ian Walton
Alonso stuck with James as Chelsea's club captain after being appointed manager this summer. He believes the academy graduate can have a bigger influence on his team-mates from the middle of the park.
"I think it [playing in midfield] helps the needs of the team and his role in the team as well," said Alonso. "Because I remember the game against Fulham . His impact in terms of emotionally, in terms of [being] captain, leadership in the middle, he's closer to everything and he can play an important role there.
"He has the capacity to help the team-mates around him. That is very important as well, because he has this presence, this respect from his team-mates. When he tells them something, they listen and they follow him."
James has been beset by injury problems during his career and missed three games of the World Cup for England because of a tight hamstring.
Alonso has already looked to manage the load put on James, introducing him as a substitute in Chelsea's victory over Brighton and Hove Albion after he had started against Fulham and Luton Town.
James has struggled with injury throughout his career - Getty Images/Darren Walsh
But Alonso believes James has all the physical and mental qualities to be one of the best midfielders in the world if he can avoid the recurring injuries that have held him back.
"For me, physically, he is fresh and he is perfect to compete in the Premier League, so that is not an issue," said Alonso. "As a midfielder, you need to take a lot of little decisions, many right decisions, because you are always very connected to the game, you are very close to the action. If you are walking, it is not possible. So Reece is very involved in the game. He knows where he has to be.
"It's a big dilemma, the injury prevention. We need to manage the loads, manage the minutes. With some players there are special cases and we need to be aware of that.
"After that, we try to do as much as possible. But you can't control all the variables. Sometimes players get injured, you can't control that. All the departments in the club are top level in those terms and try to help when there is a red flag that we are aware there is a risk."
