Chelsea view their right-back and captain Reece James as untouchable.
That is according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
Reece James has recently been linked to Real Madrid, but Jacobs has stated in his Substack column for Si Phillips Talks Chelsea that the Blues view their skipper as untouchable and “won’t consider a sale”.
Spanish outlet AS recently reported that Real Madrid have identified James as a long-term successor to Dani Carvajal.
The La Liga side are not the only club who are said to be looking at James, though. According to FootballTransfers, Manchester City are also interested in the defender.
Reece James untouchable
Chelsea’s stance is hardly a surprise. James is now club captain and one of the most important players in the squad.
Will that stop Real Madrid from making a move for him? Probably not. The Spanish club are used to getting what they want and are obviously an appealing destination.
The fact that Chelsea look to be on the decline may also give them confidence that a deal can be done.
Fortunately for Chelsea, though, the 23-year-old England international is on a long-term contract. Whatever happens this season, the Blues will not be in a position where they have no choice but to sell their captain.
James is a quality player, however, so you would expect him to attract interest and for this story to not go away.
He scored five goals and provided nine assists in the 2021/22 Premier League campaign, showing the kind of threat he can bring from the right-back position.