Real Madrid plot double Chelsea transfer raid

Stuart Telford

• 30 Mar 2023 21:11 BST
• 3 min read

Real Madrid plan to plunder Chelsea for Reece James and Kai Havertz next summer, according to reports in Spain.

The path from Chelsea to Madrid has become relatively well-trodden in recent seasons, with Thibault Courtois joining a year before Eden Hazard became los Blancos' record transfer with his €146.1 million move in 2019.

James signed a new contract with Chelsea in September, making him the Blues' highest-paid defender of all time, while Havertz recently dismissed suggestions he would be tempted to follow his former manager Thomas Tuchel to Bayern Munich.

READ: Hazard-ous! Disastrous Eden transfer reason for Real Madrid strategy shift

But Real could yet prise both away from Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea on course to fall foul of financial regulations having splashed out more than €600m on player transfers since Todd Boehly replaced Roman Abramovich as owner last May.

"Last season, Madrid drew up a shortlist of possible reinforcements [at right-back] that included Joao Cancelo, Juan Foyth and Reece James, who is the first name on the list and the favourite of the Madrid staff," reports AS' Manu de Juan.

"There are other interesting players in the Chelsea squad, such as Kai Havertz, whom Madrid already showed interest in when he was still playing for Bayer Leverkusen, but the COVID-19 pandemic put the brakes on everything."

READ: The EIGHT players Chelsea will clear out this summer

Why must Chelsea sell?

Boehly was clever in handing out seven- and eight-year contracts to the likes of Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk, spreading the cost of the new arrivals across the duration of their deals, but that is a loophole UEFA plan to close.

There is also the question of Premier League regulation. The league have already begun proceedings against Everton after they accrued a maximum loss in excess of €120m across three seasons. Chelsea have lost €140m and €170m in their last two.

In short, the Blues need to balance their books, and James and Havertz are among their most saleable assets.