Reece James is going nowhere! Chelsea not prepared to sell right-back but Conor Gallagher & Trevoh Chalobah could be offloaded amid pressure to meet financial restrictions

Posted Friday, April 05, 2024 by Goal.com

Chelsea reportedly have no plans to sell Reece James but Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah could be sold to stave off financial breaches.

Chelsea under financial fair play pressure
Gallagher and Chalobah could be sold
Blues have no plans to let James go

WHAT HAPPENED?

According to ESPN, the Blues are not prepared to let the right-back leave this summer despite concerns over complying with profit and sustainability rules. However, fellow homegrown talent Gallagher and Chalobah could depart, with academy products' transfer fees going down as pure profit.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Chelsea are increasingly likely to have to sell players as they currently sit 12th in the Premier League and are unlikely to qualify for Europe - which would provide vital revenue - at this rate. The west London outfit have spent more than £1 billion ($1.2bn) on new players since Todd Boehly took over in May 2022 so the threat of staying within the financial rules will loom large if they continue to struggle to pick up results.

DID YOU KNOW?

The report adds that Chelsea have made £400 million in player sales since Boehly's takeover and more transfer exits are likely to be needed to help the Stamford Bridge team balance the books. Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with James but the Blues don't want to let the 24-year-old go, particularly as his contract expires in 2028.

WHAT NEXT?

At the end of March, Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino admitted he doesn't know when the England international will be back from a hamstring injury but is hopeful the defender will play again before the end of the season.