Reece James Hailed as World's Best Right-Back While Injuries Have Finally Eased

Reece James finds himself at the centre of an intriguing debate about the Premier League's elite defenders this season. While the Chelsea and England star has long been considered among the world's finest right-backs when fully fit, his persistent injury troubles have cast a shadow over his consistency.

This campaign, however, Arsenal's Jurrien Timber has arguably seized the spotlight. The Dutch defender has emerged as one of the Gunners' standout performers, leading Manchester United legend Paul Scholes to recently declare that the Arsenal backline has wielded greater influence than Declan Rice this term.

"I really like Rice, but I'm struggling to see that he is the best player in the league at this point," Scholes commented on The Overlap. "I think your defenders have probably had a bigger influence than Declan Rice. I like him but I'm just saying I don't think he is the best player in the Premier League this year. I just think your defenders have had a bigger influence, the likes of Timber. I think Timber has been unbelievable. I think he has been brilliant."

Yet former Chelsea player and coach Jody Morris remains steadfast in his assessment of James's quality, insisting the 24-year-old remains superior to Timber and sits alongside Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi among the world's elite.

Speaking to AceOdds, Morris recalled his time working with James: "I used to joke with him, saying if he played up front on Saturday you would still be alright. He used to laugh but I was deadly serious! He's just a gifted player. It can sometimes go against him how good he is in multiple different roles."

Morris elaborated on why positional consistency matters when assessing defenders of James's calibre. "I got asked about the Premier League Team of the Year the other day and I put Timber at right-back. Timber's not a better right-back than Reece James, but he's playing there all the time," he explained. "For me, if Reece plays right-back the majority of the time, he'll be the best right-back in the world along with Hakimi."

The veteran coach suggested that James's versatility—his ability to operate across multiple defensive roles—occasionally works against his standing when voters consider annual awards. "I get it when you have a player of that level who can fill in different positions when you need him, but I felt there were times when he played in midfield when he was better suited to being the best right-back in the league," Morris noted.

With James having remained injury-free for over a year, Morris expressed genuine optimism about the defender's prospects. "None of this surprises me with Reece. I'm just really pleased that his injuries have stayed away for over a year now. He's looking fitter than ever, and long may it continue because it'll help us with England having a chance in the summer," he concluded.