Why Chelsea should sell Reece James

Martin Macdonald

Updated: 21 Nov 2024 08:59 CST
3 min read

Selling Reece James might seem like a harsh move, but there are solid reasons for Chelsea to consider it, even if he is a Blue born and bred.

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Indeed, as talented as James is, his ongoing injury issues are becoming a liability, leading to frustrations from Blues fans.

Once again, he’s set to miss a game, this time against Leicester City, after picking up a hamstring injury. He has already missed 66 days this season, while last campaign he was sidelined for 205 days, and in 2022/23 James was out for 146 days.

In total James has missed 129 matches across his six seasons at Stamford Bridge. It averages out at 21.5 games missed every season since he signed his first professional contract with Chelsea.

Current ETV

Reece James

D, M (R)

Chelsea

Reece James

D, M (R)

Chelsea

ETV Range

€17.3M - €28.8M

When you factor in his €300,000-a-week salary, one of the highest at the club, Chelsea are paying premium money for a player who struggles to stay fit on a regular basis.

Maresca factor

The timing of this debate is significant. Under Enzo Maresca, Chelsea are starting to find their feet again. Slowly but surely, Maresca has brought a clear identity and organisation to the team, which had been lacking in recent years.

If he can continue this upward trajectory, he’ll gain the control to make bold decisions. Could selling James could be one of them? Furthermore, is James taking up a valuable squad spot that could go to a more reliable player?

FootballTransfers recently reported that Barcelona are genuinely interested in James. Should they offer a decent fee, Chelsea will have to seriously weigh their options. James is contracted until 2028, which means his value is high right now, but if injuries continue to plague him, that value could plummet.

We must also think about how Chelsea do their business: they have shown that they are willing to sell academy players, with Conor Gallagher departing to Atletico Madrid and Trevor Chalobah to Crystal Palace during the summer window, and there is already an inflated squad.

While James is an academy product, sentiment can’t outweigh the long-term needs of the club. If Maresca is given the resources and freedom to build his ideal team, moving on from James might be the kind of tough decision that helps Chelsea.

It seemed unthinkable at one stage that Chelsea would let their club captain go, but at this stage, it's surely an option that they will be wholeheartedly considering.