"Players want to win things" – Glen Johnson names only Premier League club Reece James would consider leaving Chelsea for

Ex-Chelsea right-back Glen Johnson has named Manchester City as the only club Reece James would consider departing the Blues for.

Earlier this month, The Independent claimed that City have identified James as an ideal successor to Kyle Walker's mantle at the Etihad.

During a recent interaction with UK-based betting website GGRecon, Johnson was asked to remark on the recent links involving Manchester City and the Englishman. He responded:

"If James was to ever leave Chelsea for a Premier League rival, then it would definitely be for Manchester City. I can't imagine him going to a fellow London team and it would be City purely because they'll be competing at the very top for years to come. Players want to win things, so those links would definitely grab his attention."

Johnson, who represented the Blues 71 times in his career, continued:

"Chelsea wouldn't want him to leave, the price tag would be astronomical and that's what's going to make this move very unlikely. In terms of the player himself, of course, if the club don't bounce back and get to the point again where they're fighting for honors across all fronts, then of course the move to City will pique his interest."

Reiterating City to be the only possible destination, Johnson concluded:

"All the best players want to win things and play for the best team, so I can see James wanting to move to City, but not to any other Premier League team."

James, 23, has been a first-team presence for his boyhood side since his debut for them in 2019. He has registered 11 goals and 21 assists in 154 matches across all competitions from right-back for his club.

Glen Johnson gives take on Chelsea's form

When asked to share his two cents on Chelsea's recent struggles on the pitch, ex-England international Glen Johnson told GGRecon:

"It's not just the amount of new players they've brought into the club during the summer, but they've also lost half of their backroom staff. Everybody doesn't notice things like this on the weekend when the team is playing."

Claiming that the west London outfit has a new identity, Johnson said:

"They've changed more than half of their squad, half their backroom staff, they've brought in a new manager and the owners are still relatively new to the Premier League, so it's as if Chelsea are a completely different club now to what they were a few years ago."

The Blues, who finished in 12th in the Premier League last season, are 10th in the 2023-24 domestic table with 16 points from 13 matches.

Mauricio's Pochettino, who recently lost 4-1 at Newcastle United, will next take on Brighton at Stamford Bridge on Sunday (December 3).