Reece James is someone Real Madrid have been linked with for a few years now. On top of his game, the Chelsea captain has the ability to be the best right-back in the world. But unfortunately for the Englishman, he has only been able to show glimpses of that, as he has struggled to remain fit the last few seasons.
James has only managed to make 9 appearances for the club this season. In the previous campaign, he appeared 24 times.
There are no questions about James' quality. He is fantastic on both ends of the pitch. But there are many question marks over his fitness. He underwent surgery recently and the hope is that it will fix his issue in the long run.
Amidst all this, it looks like Chelsea might be open to parting ways with James. But as part of a deal that would see a Real Madrid midfielder end up at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea ready to offer James in swap deal for Real Madrid player
As reported by Defensa Central (via The Hard Tackle), Chelsea want to have Aurelien Tchouameni in their ranks. They are willing to offer James as a part of the deal to take the French international to London.
Consistency has been Tchouameni's problem at Real Madrid. The Frenchman had started the season well and has remained a starter in Carlo Ancelotti's side but his performance levels have dropped recently.
Of course, that is only natural and nothing to be concerned about. But if Tchouameni wants to be considered one of the best midfielders in the world, he will have to be more consistent. That should come with more experience.
As for James, Real Madrid should wait another season before making any attempts to sign him. Let's see if he can remain fit for any consistent length of time moving forward.