Thomas Tuchel has been handed a major blow ahead of the upcoming transfer window, with Reece James yet to be offered a new contract at Chelsea. The 22-year-old, who sees his current deal at Stamford Bridge expire in 2025, has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid ever since the European titans clashed in the Champions League quarter-final two months ago.
According to the Mirror, Carlo Ancelotti has placed the defender at the top of his summer shopping list. Los Blancos have reportedly been impressed by James, having watched him on nine occasions this season.
Real Madrid's interest in the right-back follows growing uncertainty in their defence, with Lucas Vazquez - a forward - often having to fill in for an ageing Dani Carvajal. The report concludes by outlining that Ancelotti's entourage of scouts and technical staff see James as the next piece of Real Madrid's puzzle.
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So, in a bid to ward off interest from potential suitors, it's believed that Chelsea's new owners made it a priority to resolve his future with a new deal. However, according to the MailOnline, no approach has been made to extend James' contract despite a growing concern that the defender will feel undervalued.
The report has credited Manchester City with interest in James too. Though, regardless of the fact that two financial powerhouses are circling Chelsea's situation, Steve McManaman believes that it will be 'nearly impossible' to lure James away from Stamford Bridge.
In his column for Horseracing.net, the former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder said: "Reece James would be an ideal long-term replacement for Dani Carvajal because he’s brilliant. Getting him away from Chelsea, however, will be nearly impossible.
"But absolutely, he’s a superstar player and he kept Vinicius Jr quiet when they faced off in the Champions League. He’s a lovely player but I don’t see him leaving Chelsea anytime soon."
James featured 39 times for Chelsea this season, directly contributing towards 16 goals across all competitions. The £76.5million-rated defender, as valued by CIES Football Observatory, has often operated at right wing-back, though he's often filled in on the right of Tuchel's back-three and can also be deployed in central midfield if needed.
The Cobham graduate has become a staple in the Blues starting XI and has been central to much of the west London side's success since first breaking through under Frank Lampard in 2019.
