Real Madrid are “very interested” in signing Chelsea captain Reece James, according to TEAMtalk reporter Dean Jones.
The La Liga side’s manager Carlo Ancelotti is said to be a keen admirer of the England international and the Italian is reportedly hoping to bring him to the Bernabeu.
It is, however, emphasised that Chelsea would be really reluctant to let James leave, and a “sizeable offer” would be needed for the Blues to even consider selling their talisman. Asked what sort of fee would tempt them into offloading the fullback, fans on X came up with a variety of responses:
I might consider 200m
That’d just make me think about it
— Horpe (@CFCHorpe) November 2, 2023
250M☺️
— JJ (@stur_bbon) November 2, 2023
There’s no price for our captain
— K€£V (@kelvin04558416) November 2, 2023
100M
— E B E R E💧 (@EbereCFC) November 2, 2023
Not for sale at any amount. He’s the heart of the club and our connection to our recent successful pass. Remove Reece James and Chelsea become a lot less special.
— Sarah Zupko (@PopSarah) November 2, 2023
£300m+ is the only acceptable answer
— CFCStocks (@CFCStocks22) November 2, 2023
There’s not enough money in the world
— Larry Kuechlin (@KuechlinLarry) November 2, 2023
Concerns about James’ fitness do raise a dilemma for Chelsea
Manager Mauricio Pochettino has recently exclaimed that the 23-year-old is “one of the best fullbacks in the world” but there are serious concerns about his injury record.
Despite being a super-talented player, James has spent an inordinate amount of time on the treatment table over the past few years. Even after recently returning from a 3-month layoff following a hamstring problem, there are still concerns that he may end up having surgery.
Selling an injury-prone player for a sizeable profit and reinvesting it into the squad may prove tempting for some of those in charge of the club.
It would send out the wrong message about Chelsea’s ambitions
The main argument against selling James is that a club like Chelsea should never be looking to dispense with the services of one of their best players.
On top of that, he is an academy graduate who has progressed to become captain. Like John Terry and others before him, James should spend his best years at the club, symbolising what the club represents and setting standards for his teammates.
