Crystal Palace have reportedly seen a whopping £25 million bid to sign Reece James rejected by Chelsea – but are the club wasting their time pursuing the player?
According to the Independent, as cited on Football365, Chelsea have no interest in selling James, who is considered to be part of Frank Lampard’s plans going forward.
The report claims that James has been told he will be featuring for the Blues if he signs a new deal this summer after impressing on loan at Wigan.
Read Crystal Palace verdict
On paper, James looked like the perfect replacement for Aaron Wan-Bissaka but they look like they’re going to struggle to convince Chelsea into a deal.
James was one of the standout defenders in the Championship last season but unfortunately, they have caught Chelsea at the wrong time. With the club under a transfer ban, there is a bigger emphasis than ever before on giving youth a chance.
Roy Hodgson’s side will have to reevaluate their transfer targets quickly as they look to replace Wan-Bissaka. They risk being left behind in the transfer market ahead of the new season.
Nathaniel Clyne looked like the obvious target at a reasonable price but his injury has ruled out a move. Belgian international Timothy Castagne has been heavily linked and would certainly be a cheaper option compared to James.
