Enzo Maresca has revealed that playing Reece James in midfield was part of his plan from the very beginning, insisting he told the Chelsea captain he saw him as a No.6 from the moment he took charge.

James delivered a stunning long-range goal as Chelsea secured a 2-1 victory over Copenhagen in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League last-16 tie on Thursday evening. 

The Blues captain, typically deployed as a right-back, played as a defensive midfielder for the entire match - a decision manager Maresca insists was part of a long-term vision for the England international.

Maresca, speaking after the win, revealed that he had always seen James as a midfielder and had planned to deploy him after one ever since taking charge at Stamford Bridge last summer.

'So, you can ask Reece; when I signed with Chelsea, probably the day after, I sent him a video about seeing him as a midfielder,' Maresca said. 

'I see Reece as a midfielder, not now - since day one. Before I met him for the first time, he was on holiday, and I sent him a clip of him playing in midfield.'

James, 25, has been a key figure at Chelsea since breaking into the first team in 2019 after a successful loan spell at Wigan Athletic. 

Primarily known for his defensive solidity and attacking prowess, James has usually been deployed as a full-back or wing-back.

However, his performance against Copenhagen showcased his ability to influence the game from midfield, capping it off with a goal that secured his team a win in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League last-16 tie.

Maresca emphasised that the main objective remains keeping James fit, with injuries having hampered his progress in recent seasons. 

The Chelsea captain has endured multiple setbacks, missing large portions of recent campaigns due to hamstring and knee issues. 

'The main target for us is to help him be fit all season,' Maresca added.

James has made over 118 Premier League appearances for Chelsea, winning the Champions League in 2021 and establishing himself as one of the club's most important players. 

Despite persistent injury struggles, his ability has never been in doubt, and Maresca's vision of deploying him in midfield could be a game-changer for both club and country.

Chelsea will now turn their attention to Sunday's Premier League clash against Leicester City before hosting Copenhagen in the decisive second leg next week at Stamford Bridge. 

Meanwhile, the likes of Joe Cole has called for James to return to the England squad following his strong performance against Copenhagen on Thursday.

‘He will have the respect of every player at Chelsea because of what he can do technically and physically,’ said Cole during the post-match analysis on TNT Sports. ‘When he was at his best, he was as good as anyone in the world, no doubt about that.

'It’s just about him finding his inner peace and managing him into games. He can play in midfield, he did it when he was on loan at Wigan and got Player of the Year there as a young kid. He looks comfortable there. 

'He’s got so much to offer Chelsea and so much to offer England. It’s so great to see him impacting the game like he did tonight. Don’t give up on Reece James because there is still a real, real world-class player in there who can be a massive player for Chelsea and England. Hopefully he can keep going now.’ 

James' last appearance for the national team comes in March 2023 against Italy, as the 25-year-old has been fighting with injuries since then.

Meanwhile, Thomas Tuchel is weighing up his England squad selection ahead of friendly games with Albania and Latvia on March 21 and 24, respectively.