Brighton Opinion: Reece James can be a wonderful signing for Brighton

According to the Sun, Crystal Palace are lining up a £10 million bid for Chelsea starlet Reece James in the summer, with Brighton and Hove Albion also interested in acquiring the services of the English youth international.

The same report claims that Palace want James as a potential replacement at right-back for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has caught the eyes of some of the top clubs in England and abroad with his stellar performances.

James has starred on loan at Wigan Athletic in the Championship this season and has earned rave reviews for his aggressive style of football. The 19-year-old has established himself as one of the best in his position, accumulating a goal and a couple of assists from 36 appearances in the league.

Those stats aren’t flattering, but in all honesty, he could have bagged a lot more goals and assists had he played for a top-quality side. As a matter of fact, the Chelsea starlet has claimed five man-of-the-match awards in the Championship so far, which speaks volumes of his talent.

While James would definitely be a good replacement for Wan-Bissaka at Selhurst Park, a move to Brighton would also help him further his development.

The Seagulls might have to wave a final goodbye to 38-year-old Bruno Saltor, who is likely to hang up his boots at the end of the campaign.

And Bruno’s departure is likely to render Chris Hughton short of quality cover at right-back, with Martin Montoya being the only other viable option in that position.

Leon Balogun is also capable of operating as a full-back but the Nigerian hasn’t been convincing enough with his displays at the back this term.

To put things into perspective, Brighton would bag a massive coup by beating Palace to sign Reece James from Chelsea as he is a player with immense potential who can establish himself as a useful long-term servant at the Amex Stadium.

Youngsters like Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Tammy Abraham and many more haven’t had much luck at Stamford Bridge and the prospect of playing regular first-team football for a mid-table club in the Premier League should appeal to the player.

Brighton have some quality players in their ranks and they should look to add a few more to their squad in the summer. The Seagulls have endured a patchy and inconsistent campaign this time around but they should aim for a top-ten finish next term.

A modern-day offensive-minded full-back with well-rounded defensive and attacking attributes, James has all the makings of developing into a future star.

He is already a proven performer at the Championship level, and given his vast potential and meteoric development, one can expect him to adapt to the Premier League pretty soon.

Blessed with blistering pace and quick feet, James is not only a wonderful crosser from the wide areas but he is equally adept at beating the opposition with his dribbling skills.

A player with high levels of stamina, he patrols up and down the pitch and seldom runs out of steam.

The 19-year-old has a good eye for a pass and also excels with his game-reading and tackling skills. Furthermore, he is a set-piece specialist who has the ability to create chances with his accurate deliveries into the box.

James has averaged 2.1 tackles, 2.1 clearances, 0.9 interceptions, 1.6 key passes, 1 dribble, 1.6 crosses and 2.7 accurate long balls per game in the Championship this term, figures which are really impressive for a 19-year-old.

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Suffice to say, the acquisition of James can prove be a huge boost for Brighton in their pursuit of a top-ten finish next term and the Seagulls should not hesitate to splash the cash on him in the summer.