Chelsea star names the teammate who has been a major influence on him this season

Reece James hails Chelsea teammate Thiago Silva for his influence

Speaking to the BBC, Chelsea defender Reece James has named Thiago Silva as the teammate who has had a major influence on his game in the current season.

The veteran defender arrived at Chelsea in the summer last year on a free transfer after his contract with PSG had run out. Since coming in, Silva has grown into a key player for the Blues, helping tighten things up at the back.

His presence in the team has not only improved our defensive record, but has also helped players improve their games on a personal level, something that James alluded to in his interview.

“Thiago Silva influenced my career the most this season, he is well experienced and has played up the top of the game. He takes me under his wing at training and coaches me, tells me where I could do better and what I am doing well.”

James is not the first Chelsea player to speak about Silva’s influence on their game. Silva’s centre-back partner Kurt Zouma has also hailed the Brazilian international’s impact on his game. In the past, Ben Chilwell, too, has spoken highly of the former Paris Saint-Germain centre-back.

Given his vast experience in the game, it is good to see that a promising rising star like James is gleaning as much as he can from the veteran. This will hold the Chelsea academy product in good stead in the long run.

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James has found game-time hard to come by under new manager Thomas Tuchel. The German has preferred Callum Hudson-Odoi at right wing-back since taking over. Silva, meanwhile, is currently out with an injury.