Crystal Palace news: Can Reece James replace Aaron Wan-Bissaka?
If there is one thing that Crystal Palace know about next summer, it’s that they’ll find it close to impossible to convince Aaron Wan-Bissaka to stay at the club. A revelation this season, the English right-back has easily been the Eagles’ best player by a large margin and has become one of the most wanted Premier League stars, according to ESPN (h/t the Sun).
However, for Crystal Palace and Roy Hodgson, replacing him will be easier said than done and yet, the club already have a target in mind. According to ESPN (h/t the Sun), on-loan Chelsea starlet Reece James is at the top of their list, with the young full-back impressing on loan.
That simply shows how much the 19-year-old has travelled since he first joined Wigan on loan from Chelsea, signing for the Blues as a young kid. However, he’s since failed to make a first-team appearance for the Stamford Bridge side.
It’s at Wigan that Reece James has really grown into his big shoes, playing in every single game this season, starting all but one. This not only shows how much he’s grown but more so, it shows he is capable of replacing Wan-Bissaka.
The 21-year-old right-back also had a similar rise but instead of a loan-spell, he found a place in the Crystal Palace first-team after his stint with their youth teams.
James has an eerily similar style of play as compared to Bissaka, using his pace and strength to keep the opposition at bay. While the teenager needs time to improve his offensive abilities, it will happen with regular game time. However, it’s the defensive side that a full-back needs to have in the first place and James has it in spades.
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The young Englishman has shown exactly what he can do for Wigan Athletic this season, but that’s only at a Championship level. He does have the talent and skill to take it up a notch and under Roy Hodgson (if a move is made) then Reece James could easily become the next Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
However, it remains to be seen if Chelsea let him go, as they have been handed a transfer ban (h/t BBC) by the English FA.