Chelsea eye Barcelona star to replace James

Suraj Radia

Updated: 19 Sept 2024 16:41 BST
3 min read

Reece James’ latest injury blow has caused Chelsea to consider their right-back options in January, with a big money move for a former target reportedly on the agenda.

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Chelsea had announced last month that James had suffered a ‘minor’ hamstring issue and that the club would ‘err on the side of caution’ by extending his recovery time due to him being suspended for the first three games of the season.

The Blues skipper was pencilled in to return for Chelsea’s game at Bournemouth last weekend, however fresh reports claimed that there is no return date in sight for James, with his recovery not going as planned.

With James having only started five Premier League games last season, Chelsea have relied on Malo Gusto to deputise but the 21-year-old missed the Bournemouth game through injury, causing Axel Disasi to be moved to right-back.

The situation has left Enzo Maresca ‘unsatisfied’ and TBR Football have claimed that multiple options are being explored over a January transfer to bolster the Chelsea manager’s options at right-back.

Jeremie Frimpong is being considered as a ‘high-profile’ option, while Barcelona’s Jules Kounde is also set to be a target, however a younger player is said to be the ‘most likely’ avenue for Chelsea.

© IMAGO - Jules Kounde rejected Chelsea for Barcelona in 2022.

Chelsea could return for Kounde after 2022 disappointment

A move for Kounde would be intriguing considering Chelsea came close to signing the Frenchman before he opted to join Barcelona in 2022 for €50 million.

Barcelona’s financial issues means that they would reportedly be willing to cash in on the 25-year-old for an offer of €60m, although Kounde is understood to have no desire to leave the La Liga side.

Current ETV

Jules Koundé

D (CR)

Barcelona

Jules Koundé

D (CR)

Barcelona

ETV Range

€44.2M - €73.6M

Maresca is believed to prefer Kounde to Frimpong and a move for the Bayer Leverkusen star may also prove too expensive, with Chelsea reluctant to spend big on a right-back while having James and Gusto at the club.

Instead, younger talents such as Michael Kayode of Fiorentina or Freiburg’s Kiliann Sildillia could be targeted, while Sporting Lisbon’s Geovany Quenda is also quoted as a name on Chelsea’s shortlist.