Chelsea plot to sign top Barcelona’s target who Thierry Henry praised as special ‘rare breed’

 

Chelsea plot to sign top Barcelona’s target who Thierry Henry praised as special ‘rare breed’

Laura 19/11/2022

Chelsea and Barcelona may once again compete for the same transfer target.

Chelsea may face competition from Barcelona for another of their top targets, with the La Liga leaders apparently considering a move for Josko Gvardiol as a replacement for Gerard Pique. The RB Leipzig defender has been widely rumored to be a target for the Blues as Graham Potter looks to strengthen his defense, but he may now have competition for his signature.

Chelsea and Barcelona faced off several times during the summer transfer season as both looked to strengthen their rosters. The Blues were thought to have completed deals with Leeds for Raphinha and Sevilla for Jules Kounde before the Blaugrana intervened. After former Blues defender Andreas Christensen refused to sign a new deal in west London, the two followed him to the Camp Nou.

Later in the transfer window, the two clubs were involved in the same transactions, with Marcos Alonso and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang heading in opposing directions on deadline day. Chelsea were also said to have kept an eye on Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong but did not take an early interest.

The teams may now cross paths again in the upcoming January transfer window, since they both have their sights set on the same target. According to the Spanish newspaper Sport, Barcelona is interested in signing Gvardiol to replace the recently retired club legend Pique.

The Croatian has been widely reported as a key Chelsea target as Potter looks to bolster his defensive options. The Blues’ defense has struggled at times this season, conceding 17 goals in 14 games as they sit seventh in the league.

Over the summer, the club spent roughly £165 million to strengthen their defense, bringing in Kalidou Koulibaly, Marc Cucurella, and Wesley Fofana. However, no player has yet to excite during their time at the club, with the former Napoli and Brighton men falling short of expectations, while the Frenchman has dealt with injury issues.