Chelsea could lose a key player if their form under Mauricio Pochettino doesn't improve, with a former player suggesting their price tag could only be matched by certain players.
The Blues currently sit 10th in the Premier League table after 13 games of the season, the just two places higher than they finished last term in England's top flight. They have shown signs of promise in some games, but Pochettino's squad is still experiencing teething problems.
That could have a detrimental affect on star players staying at the club, even after Chelsea's £1bn spending on new players in the last 18 months.
Indeed, former Chelsea defender Glen Johnson believes that Reece James will look to leave the club in the near future, should the Blues fail to show signs of returning to former glories.
“In terms of the player himself, if Chelsea don’t bounce back and get to the point again where they’re fighting for honours across all fronts, then of course the move to Manchester City will pique his interest," Johnson told GGRecon.
"All the best players want to win things and play for the best team, so I can see Reece James wanting to move to Manchester City, but not to any other Premier League team.
"If Reece James was to ever leave Chelsea for a Premier League rival, then it would definitely be for Manchester City. I can’t imagine him going to a fellow London team and it would be Manchester City purely because they’ll be competing at the very top for years to come.”
Johnson does clarify that James won't cheap, though. The 24-year-old is currently the Chelsea captain, and only recently signed a new deal to keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2028.
“Chelsea wouldn’t want him to leave, the price tag would be astronomical and that’s what’s going to make this move very unlikely.”
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