Young Chelsea star Reece James has been announced as the latest Premier League star to sign for Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports International, making him the first English player to sign with the American agency.
At just 19 years old, Reece James is starting to make an impact on the Chelsea team, recently forcing himself ahead of club captain and veteran campaigner Cesar Azpilicueta. And his talent has not gone unnoticed, with the full-back scoring two goals for the club in just nine first team appearances, including the equaliser in the thrilling 4-4 draw with Ajax in the Champions League. And as his career gathers pace, he’s also making moves off it, by joining Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports family.
Family also appears to be the appropriate word in this, with the announcement also including the fact that James’s younger sister, Lauren James, who plays for Manchester United, and the pair’s father, Nigel James, a renowned coach, have also signed on with Roc Nation. "Joining the Roc Nation family alongside my own family is a very special feeling,” Reece explained. "Family means everything to me, and I could tell from day one just how highly Roc Nation values it. I look forward to a great partnership with Roc Nation who will manage my off-the-pitch activities as only they can.”
As an American company, the majority of headline names on their clientele list are from American football, basketball and baseball. But their name is growing in Europe, and James joins fellow Premier League footballers Eric Bailly and Kevin De Bruyne at the company, along with former Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku, who was the first Premier League player to join back in early 2018.
What originated as Jay-Z's entertainment company, Roc Nation, has now branched out to Roc Nation Sports; an agency that aims to develop the career of professional sportspeople on and off the field by looking after commercial deals, media relations and the 'brand strategy' of their clients, including; Kevin Durant, Dez Bryant, Jerome Boateng, and Miguel Cotto. Expect to see more of James on and off the pitch now Roc Nation are on board.
The Roc Nation family continues to grow. Who'll be next?
