Chelsea are reportedly unlikely to entertain any sort of approach for club captain Reece James, despite recent links to Real Madrid.

The defender has struggled for fitness so far this season but is still incredibly highly rated at Stamford Bridge and has the full support of manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Following the departure of Cesar Azpilicueta over the summer, Pochettino decided to overlook the more experienced figures in his dressing room and opted to name James as his captain, with Ben Chilwell offering support as his vice.

The 23-year-old has played just 105 minutes in the Premier League since receiving the armband, with injuries continuing to hinder the progress of the right-back. Despite that, James still has admirers around Europe – with Real Madrid routinely linked with acquiring the services of the defender and reportedly believing the defender can be a success like Jude Bellingham.

With Daniel Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez both over 30, Los Blancos are looking to bring in a new long-term right-back who can provide stability in their backline in the long term. James has been labelled world-class by Pochettino and would join fellow Englishman Jude Bellingham at the Santiago Bernabeu as an elite-level England international plying their trade in Spain’s capital.-The Express