Chelsea are refusing all offers for Reece James, who is currently on-loan at Wigan Athletic.

The Sun says Brighton have offered £10m for Chelsea whizkid James — but have been flatly rejected.

The Seagulls want to give the England Under-20 defender a crack at the Premier League after a superb season on loan at Championship side Wigan.

James is the top target for new talent spotter Dan Ashworth, who came to the Amex with the remit of finding the best young players to buy.

However, the huge bid has been turned down by Chelsea, who want to keep James, 19, even though he is unlikely to play for them next season.

The news is also a blow for Crystal Palace, who pencilled him in as an ideal replacement for Aaron Wan-Bissaka if he leaves for a bigger club in the summer window.