Chelsea could sanction the sale of one of their fan favourites next month, with a fresh report revealing that he has been offered to a new club ahead of January.
Todd Boehly's summer departures
The Premier League giants sanctioned the sales of 23 players during the previous window, with 14 of those being on a permanent basis, while the remaining nine were sent out on loan for the rest of the season to increase their experience and game time.
With Thiago Silva and Lucas Bergstrom also set to reach the expiration of their deals at the end of the campaign, Mauricio Pochettino could additionally decide to green-light their departures, but they aren’t the only ones who could be heading for the exit door in the near future (Chelsea contracts).
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Having worked his way up through the academy ranks, Reece James was named the club’s new captain ahead of the start of the current term, although the right-back has recently undergone surgery on a recurring hamstring injury meaning that he won’t be available for selection again for the foreseeable future.
Regardless of how prone he is to sustaining injuries, Real Madrid are known to be long-term admirers of the 24-year-old, and if the following update is to be believed, there’s a chance that he could soon be swapping Stamford Bridge for the Bernabeu Stadium.
Real Madrid offered chance to sign James
According to Defensa Central (via CaughtOffside), Chelsea have offered James to Real Madrid ahead of January. Todd Boehly is looking to bolster his midfield ranks with the addition of Federico Valverde and the owner is therefore looking at a swap deal that could see his skipper moving in the opposite direction.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side reportedly have the defender on their shortlist of targets, though it remains to be seen whether or not a deal will materialise. Recent reports have also claimed that the Blues are ‘beginning to be fed up with James' injuries’ and appear ready to trigger Jeremie Frimpong's £35m release clause.
Chelsea could ditch "another level" James
While James is naturally a right-back, Pochettino will be aware that he’s also strong in the offensive aspect of his game because he’s clocked up 32 involvements, 21 assists and 11 goals, from 156 senior appearances during his time at Chelsea (Transfermarkt – James statistics).
The England international also currently ranks in the 96th percentile for successful take-ons, highlighting his desire to use his athletic pace to dribble past his marker and create as many chances as possible for both himself and his fellow teammates in the final third (FBRef – James statistics).
Sponsored by Nike, the squad leader, on £250,000-a-week is even a versatile operator having been deployed in five various positions since the start of his career, including two in the defence and three higher up in the midfield, so his ability to provide cover in areas outside of his own makes him a brilliant option to have when fully fit.
When he’s at the top of his game, James has been described as a player who is on “another level” compared to his peers by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and while the thought of losing him could be a big blow, they may land a star midfielder in Valverde, making this one to watch.