Steve McManaman has given Thomas Tuchel his verdict on where Reece James' future lays beyond the end of the season. The Chelsea right-back has been 'brilliant' this season despite a succession of injuries which have hampered him along the way.
James' praise follows interest from Carlo Ancelotti's side, who shortlisted the 22-year-old earlier this month. The Spanish side set their sights on signing the England international after he impressing over two legs against them in the Champions League quarter-final, according to the Mirror.
The Italian boss has reportedly placed the Cobham graduate at the top of his shopping list ahead of the summer transfer window. The Mirror add that Real Madrid have watched James on nine occasions this season as Ancelotti looks to revamp his ageing side.
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Los Blancos' interest in the Blues defender follows growing uncertainty in their defence, with Lucas Vazquez - a forward - often having to fill in for Dani Carvajal. The report concludes by outlining that Ancelotti's entourage of scouts and technical staff see James as the next piece of Real Madrid's puzzle in the club's bid to reclaim the Champions League title.
Alhough the Englishman has been linked with the Spanish side, McManaman believes that it will be 'nearly impossible' to lure James to the Santiago Bernabeu. In his column for Horseracing.net, the former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder said: "Reece James would be an ideal long-term replacement for Dani Carvajal because he’s brilliant.
"Getting him away from Chelsea, however, will be nearly impossible, but absolutely, he’s a superstar player and he kept Vinícius Júnior quiet when they faced off in the Champions League. He’s a lovely player but I don’t see him leaving Chelsea anytime soon."
James has featured 32 times for Chelsea this season, directly contributing towards 13 goals across all competitions. The £58.9m-rated defender, as valued by CIES Football Observatory, has often operated at right wing-back, though in recent weeks he's filled on the right of Tuchel's back-three.
The Cobham graduate has become a staple in the Blues starting XI and has often been central to much of the west London side's success since first breaking through under Frank Lampard in 2019.
