Chelsea might sell their defender, who is prone to injuries, for £35 million.

Real Madrid might purchase Chelsea’s injury-prone defender for £35 million, but will Mauricio Pochettino be willing to do so?

In tonight’s Premier League match between Chelsea and Arsenal, there will be action off the field as well. In fact, Chelsea has the opportunity to offload one of their injured players, should Mauricio Pochettino, the incoming manager, decide to accept the offer.

Real Madrid may purchase Reece James from Chelsea for £35 million.
Reece James of Chelsea is still a target for Real Madrid, according to a report from Estadio Deportivo (via 90min). Nonetheless, Los Blancos have allocated a budget of £35 million for the England international.

This strikes me as a low-ball. If Chelsea chooses not to accept this, they are correct. Despite his dismal injury record, Reece James is one of the world’s top full-backs when healthy, but he hasn’t exactly shown it. James is only 23 years old, so I would argue that £35 million is significantly less than his valuation because he has little time left to develop.

Pochettino’s frustration with James’ dismal injury record makes sense. There are other bidders out there who would be close to his true worth, though, should he decide to sell the full-back.

It does not appear likely that Reece James will feature in the Blues’ encounter against Arsenal tonight. Even if Pochettino has indicated that his comeback is imminent, if the messages are understood correctly, it is unlikely that we will see him in the starting lineup today.

It’s a sad shame James is constantly hurting himself. He brings a great deal to the squad from an attacking and defensive perspective, which is why he was named Chelsea’s captain. When he returns, hopefully, he’ll have a strong run at fitness.

Do you believe Reece James will be sold to Real Madrid by Mauricio Pochettino?