With Dani Carvajal facing an increasingly uncertain future at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid appear to have taken an interest in Reece James. For many clubs, just the thought of the Spanish side snooping around would be a cause for concern. However, in this case, Chelsea can be confident that they're in the driver's seat.
According to AS, Real Madrid will prioritise the signing of the 23-year-old in the summer, with the defender at the top of their list. It's said that Los Blancos first registered an interest in James after impressing over two legs against them in the Champions League quarter-final.
The Mirror claim that Carlo Ancelotti's side watched the right-back on a number of occasions last season, with an entourage of scouts and technical staff identifying James as a key towards the club's rebuild. Carvajal has struggled to maintain the exceptional level he once reached a few years ago and this has often forced Lucas Vazquez - a right-winger by trade - to fill in.
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Regardless of Real Madrid's ambition to bring James to the Spanish capital, Chelsea seem to be in the driver's seat. In September, the defender put pen to paper on a six-year deal to keep him in west London until 2028.
Upon signing the contract, he claimed that he's 'over the moon'. James said: "I am over the moon with my new contract and I’m thankful for the fans, the new ownership and everyone involved in the club.
"I cannot wait to see what the future holds, and I am sure we will have the chance of winning many trophies. I grew up supporting this club and I’ve been here since I was a six-year-old.
"I put pen to paper on a new deal because this is the club I want to be at. I’d like to say a special thanks to the fans, I am here to stay and we have a bright future ahead of us."
With James tied down to such a long contract, Real Madrid will almost certainly have to pay over the odds for his signature — not to mention that no major news outlet has ever reported a release clause in his deal. According to The Telegraph, the defender is being prepared to succeed Cesar Azpilicueta as club captain one day.
And, his father, Nigel, has already revealed that it's a dream of his son's. Speaking to the Athletic, he said: "100 games… you just sit there and think, ‘wow’.
"To do that at 21… there are some people who play 300 in their career. But I’m not emotional. The part where I will be emotional is the day he becomes Chelsea captain. That’s his ambition and mine as well.
"Didier Drogba was a legend and so was John Terry. But Reece has been at Chelsea since he was six. There isn’t a player who has been there that young and gone on to wear the armband. The goal is to be the man that, when you hear Chelsea, you think Reece James."
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