Reece James has reportedly emerged on Barcelona’s radar amid recent reports linking him with La Liga champions Real Madrid.
According to Gerard Romero, as relayed by Barca Universal, Real Madrid might not be the only club interested in Reece James. The Chelsea defender, whose market value is €70 million, has also emerged on Barcelona’s radar.
Talking about James on Twitch (h/t Barca Universal), Romero said, “Keep an eye on Reece James. There are people at Barcelona who get instant emotions.”
Reece James has established himself as one of the best full-backs in the world since breaking through at Chelsea. The 23-year-old has repaid the faith that Frank Lampard showed in 2019 by coming leaps and bounds in the last four years. And he has also become a regular for the English national side.
Meanwhile, James has also seen his market value soar, and it currently stands at a whopping €70 million. But the player has endured a frustrating 2022/23 season thus far, managing two goals and two assists in 24 appearances. But his stock remains as high as ever, with Real Madrid and Barcelona interested.
James has been on Real Madrid’s radar for a long time. And the reigning La Liga champions remain interested in the Chelsea star. That is hardly surprising, considering Dani Carvajal has endured a drop in performance levels. In addition, Lucas Vazquez is not reliable as a makeshift right-back.
The 23-year-old has thus emerged as a viable target for Real Madrid. And recent reports have claimed that the Merengues are ready to submit a massive bid to sign him from Chelsea. But Los Blancos will face stiff competition from bitter rival Barcelona for the player.
Barcelona will also delve into the market for a right-back in the summer transfer window. With the Blaugrana yet to identify Dani Alves’s successor, it is understandable why they want a long-term solution in the position. And James can fix Barcelona’s issues for a decade, if not more.
But Barcelona will unlikely be able to afford Chelsea’s potential asking price, which should be higher than his market value of €70 million. Meanwhile, James wants to remain at Chelsea but is open to joining Real Madrid in the future. So a summer move to either club looks improbable.
