Barcelona are in the mix to consider a move for injury-stricken Chelsea defender Reece James, although there will be complications in signing him.
According to Sport, Barcelona are interested in signing Reece James as an approach could be on the horizon. The 24-year-old crisis-struck Chelsea star has been out of the game due to persistent injury problems, which might make the Blues consider a big sale that would free up his massive wages off their books.
Reece James really needs to kick-start his career after a considerable period of absence with a persistent hamstring problem. The 24-year-old crisis-struck Chelsea star suffered another recurrence of the situation in pre-season, which has since kept him out of action for the start of the new campaign.
James even suffered a setback in his recovery, although as of this week, he has re-joined Chelsea training. Earlier, there were links to Real Madrid about a potential transfer. But Florentino Perez is not interested in signing the 24-year-old crisis-struck Chelsea star.
In recent times, reports stated that James was open to joining Barcelona to resurrect his career, and this story has some legs. The Chelsea man might have emerged as a viable target for the Blaugrana, who are eager to improve their defence with a proper right-back. Naturally, James’s injury history will play a big role in proceedings, which could also see Barcelona offer far less than his previous market value.
As of now, James is focused on Chelsea and making a proper comeback to play regularly for Enzo Maresca’s side. He has been at the club since he was a kid. So, his strong allegiance will not make him think about quitting for any other side. However, Chelsea are not in a position to dismiss his departure out of hand, as they might consider the idea briefly.
Will Chelsea sell James?
James could suit the project at Barcelona under Hansi Flick, who needs an ‘all-rounder’ in his team from a defensive standpoint. The 24-year-old plays in that right-back role, as the Catalan giants need a proper star in that role, while he can also feature in central defence and midfield. Signing him from Chelsea would require a huge financial commitment in fees and wages.
James is one of the highest-paid stars at Chelsea, and should injuries continue to keep him sidelined this season, the club could ultimately make a big decision. They could take his wages off their books as a big plus in terms of their transfer policy, although the club are likely to keep faith in James to come out of his fitness issues and start performing.
