EXCLUSIVE: PSG hold Reece James talks but Chelsea exit unlikely

Steve Kay

• Updated: 1 Apr 2024 22:27 BST
• 3 min read

Exclusive

Chelsea captain Reece James is being targeted by Paris Saint-Germain, who made contact with the English defender during a recent trip to Saint-Tropez, FootballTransfers can reveal.

The Ligue 1 champions are very much interested in the 24-year-old, but we are told that the likelihood is that he will remain with Chelsea until the summer of 2025 at least.

We have been informed that James has strong ties to his roots and this is one of the reasons why a move to PSG may be complicated.

James maintains close ties with his family and any move away from England seems improbable as a result. Sources reiterate that if James were to leave Chelsea, a club in England would be his preferred destination.

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We have previously revealed that Manchester City were keeping an eye on his situation at Stamford Bridge, as Pep Guardiola searches for an eventual replacement to Kyle Walker, who will turn 34 next month.

PSG's current right-back position is occupied by Achraf Hakimi, however he has previously been linked with a departure and is capable of playing as a right-wing-back or as a left-back.

How much is Reece James worth?

Chelsea want to generate well over €116 million in additional revenue to avoid breaching the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules, and recent reports indicate the Blues would be open to selling James and Conor Gallagher.

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Moving on the pair, who graduated from the club’s academy, will allow the Blues to make a full amount of trading profit in their 2023-24 accounts.

James, appointed as Chelsea captain by Mauricio Pochettino last August, has seen limited opportunities to don the skipper's armband due to persistent injuries that have significantly disrupted his campaign.

This setback has provided Malo Gusto with the opportunity to step into the spotlight and demonstrate his potential as a successor.

FootballTransfers’ Estimated Transfer Value algorithm ranks James at €40.3m, while his contract at the West London club is due to expire in 2028.