Real Madrid is reportedly targeting another Chelsea player for a potential transfer to Spain, continuing their established transfer links with the London club.
Transfer History Between Chelsea and Real Madrid
The transfer relationship between Chelsea and Real Madrid stretches back many years, even before the current ownership under Todd Boehly and Enzo Maresca. In total, 18 players have played for both clubs.
Recent high-profile transfers include Eden Hazard, Antonio Rudiger, and Thibaut Courtois, who all moved from Chelsea to Madrid. Courtois has become one of the world’s top goalkeepers, while Hazard’s time in Madrid has been marred by injuries. Other notable transfers include Ricardo Carvalho and Arjen Robben joining Madrid, while Chelsea signed players like Mateo Kovacic, Claude Makelele, and Álvaro Morata.
This ongoing exchange has strengthened the clubs’ strong transfer ties.
Reece James Links
In recent years, Reece James has been frequently linked with a move to Real Madrid. About a year ago, Madrid was reportedly eyeing James as a long-term successor to Dani Carvajal.
However, James’ injury setbacks, including a long recovery from surgery, caused these plans to falter. Madrid then shifted focus to Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contract expires soon. If signed, Alexander-Arnold would join a growing contingent of English talent at Madrid, including the highly successful Jude Bellingham.
Real Madrid Shifts Attention to Cole Palmer
With James no longer a priority, Real Madrid is now reportedly focused on Chelsea’s Cole Palmer.
The young midfielder, who joined Chelsea from Manchester City over a year ago, has quickly emerged as one of the Premier League’s brightest prospects. Palmer’s standout performances, such as scoring twice in Chelsea’s 4-2 win over Tottenham, have earned him widespread praise.
This season, he has accumulated 11 goals and six assists, with 50 goal contributions in just 47 appearances. Pundits like Jamie Carragher have called Palmer “special,” predicting he could become one of Europe’s best players and potentially join Chelsea’s elite ranks.
Challenges to a Palmer Transfer
Real Madrid’s interest in Palmer aligns with their history of targeting players with star potential. However, a transfer seems unlikely in the short term. Palmer has nine years left on his Chelsea contract, earning £130,000 a week, and has shown no signs of wanting to leave.
A move would require a hefty transfer fee, and Madrid already boasts a wealth of young talent, such as Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Jr., which complicates both the financial and tactical aspects of any potential deal.
While a move for Palmer may be a long-term possibility, Chelsea will need to stay vigilant as the young talent continues to attract interest from some of Europe’s top clubs.
