Real Madrid have put Chelsea defender Reece James at the top of their transfer wishlist as they look to sign a new right-back in the summer.
According to a report from Defensa Central, Real Madrid have identified Chelsea star Reece James as their No. 1 target to strengthen the right-back position in the upcoming transfer window.
James is a product of the Chelsea youth academy. The youngster enjoyed his breakthrough with the Blues in 2019 after enjoying an impressive loan spell with Wigan Athletic during the 2018/19 campaign. Since then, the 22-year-old has been a mainstay on the pitch for the west London outfit, racking up 114 appearances in which he has nine goals and 15 assists.
A modern-day full-back, James has proven himself to be a capable attacking outlet on the right flank while he is also very much assured and reliable in defence. These qualities were on display when Real Madrid faced Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals this season. The England international put up a fine performance in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid have had their eyes on James for a while now. And after watching him in action at the Bernabeu earlier this week, the Spanish giants are convinced that the Chelsea defender is the right man for the job as they look to strengthen their options in the right-back slot.
At the moment, Real Madrid have Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez as choices in the right-sided full-back slot. The former has struggled with fitness issues and has been unable to perform at his best level, while the latter is a makeshift solution in the position.
Even though they recently signed Vinicius Tobias from Shakhtar Donetsk recently, he will likely be a part of the Real Madrid Castilla team initially. So, it is imperative that the La Liga leaders bring in a new right-back in the summer. And they have seemingly identified James as their priority target for the position as per the report.
Signing the England international could prove to be a difficult prospect, though, considering how highly he is valued at Chelsea. Furthermore, James’ contract with his boyhood club runs until the summer of 2025. So, Chelsea are pretty much in control of the situation and are unlikely to play ball if Real Madrid make an approach for the 22-year-old.