Real Madrid: A dream transfer target from every other Champions League quarterfinal side

Real Madrid are into the 2021/22 Champions League quarterfinals, where they must face the team that won last year’s competition after knocking them out in the semifinals, Chelsea. 

While Los Blancos are not seen as the favorites to win this year’s competition, they are certainly among the contenders. On their day, they can beat anyone, as they showed against PSG in the second half of the second leg. But as we saw in the previous three iterations of the Champions League and even in the first leg of this year’s Round of 16, the Merengue club still has work to do on the transfer front.

Kylian Mbappe will almost certainly be on his way this summer, but it’s still unclear who will join him. Let’s have a fun – but not necessarily realistic – look at some transfer targets Real Madrid would dream of having from every other side in the Champions League quarterfinals.

Chelsea RB Reece James

Let’s begin with the team Real Madrid will be facing in the Champions League quarterfinals, Chelsea. Reece James has been linked to the Merengue club a few times, though nobody would ever expect the Blues to sell one of their most valuable players, especially not at a time when it seems as if they cannot make incoming transfers.

James has blossomed into a world-class player. He always had promise and was rated highly by Chelsea, but he has come a long way since the 2019/20 season. Just 22 years old, James has been one of Chelsea’s top performers this season with five goals and six assists in the Premier League. Better yet, he has no real weaknesses to his game at right back; he is a true all-arounder, much like Dani Carvajal was in his prime.

Madridistas can dream, right? James is a class player in terms of his desire, footballing IQ, athleticism, and production. What more could you ask for at right back? Chelsea must be very happy to have him in their ranks.