---
title: "Manchester City: Daily Mail makes exciting Reece James claim"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-reece-james-transfer-gossip-news/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Daniel Clubbe"
section: "Manchester City News"
published: "2022-05-27T16:36:11Z"
modified: "2022-05-27T16:36:11Z"
---

# Manchester City: Daily Mail makes exciting Reece James claim

**[Manchester City](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-news/) are interested in signing Chelsea defender Reece James as a successor to Kyle Walker, according to [Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10854931/A-look-whats-Chelsea-Todd-Boehly-wins-battle-4-25bn-takeover-Blues.html).**

### The lowdown: Top talent

Already a regular for both club and country, the 22-year-old has enjoyed a rapid rise to the forefront of the elite game having come through the youth ranks in London.

A key member of Thomas Tuchel’s side that beat City in the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League final, James has amassed [123 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/reece-james/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/472423) for Chelsea having also made [46 senior outings](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/reece-james/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/472423/verein/1071) whilst on loan at Wigan.

[Man City latest developments!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/man-city-latest-developments-3/)

Despite being under contract until 2025 ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/reece-james/profil/spieler/472423)), City boss Pep Guardiola looks to have earmarked James as a potential target to add to the champions’ squad…

### The latest: Next in line

As per the [Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10854931/A-look-whats-Chelsea-Todd-Boehly-wins-battle-4-25bn-takeover-Blues.html), Man City have ‘identified’ the [ten-cap](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/reece-james/nationalmannschaft/spieler/472423/verein_id/3299) England star as a replacement for Walker.

It’s claimed that James is viewed as a long-term successor to his international teammate and as such Chelsea are looking to negotiate a new deal with the versatile ace as a ‘priority’ once the takeover has been completed.

The report also states that the new deal for the youngster hailed as [‘phenomenal’](https://twitter.com/talkSPORT/status/1463401354454577162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1463401354454577162%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.planetfootball.com%2Fquick-reads%2Fbest-right-back-in-the-country-nine-quotes-about-reece-james-stunning-form-for-chelsea%2F) by Ally McCoist following the right-back’s thunderous goal against Juventus could see him earn around £200,000 per week.

### The verdict: Statement signing

James suffered an injury-hit campaign in 2021/22 but still managed [six goals and ten assists](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/reece-james/leistungsdaten/spieler/472423) in 39 appearances across all competitions, earning an outstanding 7.40 [Sofascore](https://www.sofascore.com/player/reece-james/885908) rating whilst winning 4.5 duels, making 47.5 accurate passes and taking 1.4 shots on average per game in the process.

Capable of playing as a defensive midfielder, at centre-back and as a naturally attacking right-back, versatility that is well suited to Guardiola’s full-back [orientated](https://www.squawka.com/en/joao-cancelo-pep-guardiola-midfielders-man-city-full-backs-stats/) style, James shares similar traits with Juan Cuadrado, Alphonso Davies and City’s own Joao Cancelo ([Fbref](https://fbref.com/en/players/1265a93a/Reece-James)).

At 31, there is still plenty of elite football left in Walker, but lining up the London-born star as an instant replacement is certainly a wise move and although the prospects of landing a player from a major domestic rival seem farfetched, if City were able to emulate something like the deal that brought Walker to the Etihad from Tottenham for £45million ([BBC](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40598351)), it would be a huge capture for the Sky Blues.

**In other news…** [**a BBC pundit has dropped this huge Man City transfer claim**](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-news/manchester-city-danny-mills-makes-declan-rice-transfer-claim/)