Chelsea are reportedly ready to sanction the sale of club captain and Real Madrid target Reece James if a suitor offered ‘ridiculous’ money for the mercurial right-back.
According to a report from Football Insider, Chelsea are keen to build their side around star defender and club captain Reece James and would only sell if a club offered silly money for the England international amid Real Madrid links.
James made his way through the ranks at the Chelsea academy before impressing on a loan spell with Wigan Athletic in the Championship, making his first-team bow under Frank Lampard the season after. The youngster soon established himself as the first-choice option at right-back or right wing-back, showing plenty of quality defensively while also offering an attacking threat.
Overall, the right-back has played 148 games for Chelsea, notching 11 goals and 20 assists for the club. However, niggling injuries have thwarted his progress over the past few years. But, when fit, he is a certain starter for club and country.
The full-back, currently on a £250,000-a-week deal, was restricted to just 16 Premier League appearances last season. He did look bright in Chelsea’s season opener against Liverpool, but he is currently out of action with a hamstring issue.
James’s injury is not the only thing Chelsea need to worry about, as recent reports in Spain claim that Real Madrid are ramping up their interest in him and that the West Londoners could receive an offer for their club captain next year as Los Blancos’ president Florentino Perez has identified the Englishman as an ideal replacement for Dani Carvajal.
It is no secret that Real Madrid could do with another right-back at this point in time. The depth and quality do not appear to be the strongest in that area of the pitch. Carvajal is a club legend and has played a key role in all their successes over the past decade or so. But he is not getting any younger, and his recent performances have raised quite a few eyebrows over his regular starter credential at the Bernabeu.
They also do not have any natural backup options either, with both Lucas Vazquez and Nacho Fernandez makeshift alternatives, and both of them are into their thirties as well. Unsurprisingly, Real Madrid have been linked with a few right-backs in recent times.
But James is believed to be at the top of Real Madrid’s list of targets. And to no surprise, the Englishman is arguably one of the best full-backs in the world when fit and firing. It will take a lot more money if Real Madrid want to snare James away from Stamford Bridge. The Blues have managed to tie him down to a contract until June 2028, which means they are under no pressure to sell.
In addition, the fact that James is also Chelsea’s leader and an academy graduate means the Blues will want a colossal sum before signing off on his exit. In an ideal scenario, they will be keen to keep hold of the £250,000-a-week defender to allow boss Mauricio Pochettino to build the team around his skipper.
