Real Madrid willing to pay €102m to sign Chelsea superstar - Reports
European champions Real Madrid are reportedly prepared to pay a massive €102 million to sign Reece James from Chelsea this summer.
According to Defensa Central (Fichajes.net), Real Madrid want to buy a right-back to replace Dani Carvajal in the starting XI. President Florentino Perez has been keeping track of James for a while and wants him to take the baton from Carvajal this summer. The club are willing to shell out €102 million to lure the Englishman away from west London.
To ward off interest from the likes of Real Madrid, the Blues tied James to a long-term contract in September, extending his stay till 2028. However, it has been reported that Los Blancos’ astronomical offer could shake the Londoners’ resolve.
To accommodate the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk without getting sanctioned, Chelsea need to sell a few big names this summer. Selling James, who has risen from the ranks, would go a long way in helping their case to bring in reinforcements.
Furthermore, James has reportedly expressed his desire to play for Los Merengues in the short term, meaning he could be willing to relocate to the Spanish capital. According to the aforementioned source, Chelsea’s stance on Madrid’s eye-popping offer is not yet known.
James has played 143 games for Chelsea across competitions, scoring 11 times and providing 20 assists.
Real Madrid forward Mariano Diaz has offers from Premier League, Serie A and Bundesliga
David Aranda, agent of Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz, has said that his client has offers from Premier League, Serie A and Bundesliga. His contract at Madrid runs out in June, but the club are not expected to give the former Lyon man an extension.
Aranda has said that his client has been on the market for a while now and has drawn attention from top leagues (via Diario AS):
“Every three months, we have contact with other teams. In the end, he has always been in the market. His profile, characteristics and trajectory are always very appetising. Contract ends, and now we have to look for a new team.
"We have possibilities from going to the Premier League, the Bundesliga, Calcio or other teams. I don’t talk about the market with Mariano. A team where he can be happy suits Mariano, which is not that he’s not happy in Madrid, but that his contract is running out.”
Mariano has played only eight times this season, clocking 51 minutes. Since re-joining Real Madrid in 2018, Mariano has featured in 67 games across competitions, scoring eight times and claiming an assist.