Chelsea ace Gusto makes shock Alexander-Arnold admission amid Reece James battle

Chelsea news as Malo Gusto opens up on his relationship with Reece James, the players that inspire him and his battle to start under Mauricio Pochettino

Chelsea full-back Malo Gusto is continuing to embrace the void and the challenge of Reece James at the club as he looks set to start a fifth game in a row. The 20-year-old, who signed from Lyon in January before being loaned back to his boyhood club ahead of joining up with the Blues this summer, has found himself in the team earlier than expected.

Now, Gusto has made an immediate impact since arriving as a highly rated defender. He already has two assists to his name, continuing a trend of impressive attacking full-backs at Chelsea, but has also shown alertness and speed going the other way.

"There was a voice that said to me: you can, so why would you say no? Is there a great player in your place? Yes, but you can be a great player too. It’s a challenge. It’s a healthy battle.”

“I’m not stupid or crazy. I knew before coming that Reece James is one of the best players in his position," he admitted. "We get on very well. He talks to me a lot. We are in a big club, there must be good players in each position. The reason I chose Chelsea is because I have a plan. I know what I’m doing.”

Gusto added: “I learned to love defending. A full-back is above all that. I’ve looked a lot at how Daniel Alves, Kyle Walker, and Trent Alexander-Arnold approach the position. However, I don’t want to imitate them. My identity is to add intensity, to chain offensive and therefore defensive races, to be complete. Being a full-back is that for me.”

James isn't ready for a return just yet though. "He's recovering well. I don't know if he's close or not because we assess him every single day but he's started to do things on the pitch with the ball," Pochettino said ahead of the trip to Bournemouth.

"He's really well. He's desperate to play for the team. Yes, I hope it's close, also so he can be available before the next international break."

For now, at least, Gusto is going to be needed for Chelsea as a primary option. Nothing so far suggests that this is a big worry for Chelsea either and watching them both grow and develop will be a source of hopefully great satisfaction for supporters in the coming years.