‘Not even my next life’-Chelsea star Reece James delivers brutal three-word reply to Arsenal fans amid transfer question
Reece James has brutally shut down an Arsenal fan on social media who suggested the Chelsea defender should complete a transfer across London. Kai Havertz completed a £65million move to the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, but James has no interest in following in his footsteps.
Chelsea are hosting a ruthless firesale at Stamford Bridge to raise funds ahead of Mauricio Pochettino’s maiden season in charge.
Mason Mount, Edouard Mendy, Hakim Ziyech, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic are all set to join Havertz out the exit door.
But it doesn’t seem like James will be involved, especially not via a switch to Arsenal.
On Thursday evening, Arsenal fan @_ambehi tweeted: “Reece James to Arsenal. Who says no?”
But it didn’t take long for James to brutally shut down the idea, replying: “I say no.”
The three-word response amassed 64,000 likes and 25,000 retweets during its first 45 minutes.
And Chelsea fuelled interaction, drawing attention to James’ tweet by quoting it: “He’s one of our own.”
The Blues accompanied the tweet with an image of James giving it back to Arsenal fans during a recent meeting, paired with a ‘shush’ emoji.
After struggling with injury woes last term, the 23-year-old right-back will hope to play an important role under Pochettino.
James made just 16 Premier League appearances across a torrid 2022/23 campaign for Chelsea, his fewest since becoming a first-team regular.
But he will hope Pochettino can turn his and Chelsea’s fortunes around next season, where he will be part of a new-look squad.
James expressed his excitement for the future after penning a new six-year contract in September.
“I am over the moon with my new contract, and I’m thankful for the fans, the new ownership and everyone involved in the club,” James told the club website.
“I cannot wait to see what the future holds, and I am sure we will have the chance of winning many trophies. I grew up supporting this club, and I’ve been here since I was a six-year-old.
“I put pen to paper on a new deal because this is the club I want to be at. I’d like to say a special thanks to the fans, I am here to stay, and we have a bright future ahead of us.”
