Exclusive: Chelsea eyeing sensational move for two Barcelona players who are considered the 'world's best'
Today at 11:00 AM
- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
Chelsea are in the market for further reinforcements this January transfer window.
Enzo Maresca’s men are flying high in the Premier League and look like genuine top-four candidates – which no one really expected at the start of the season.
That’s a testament to the job Maresca has done at Stamford Bridge, having silenced a number of critics who doubted his philosophy.
The possession-based approach has worked really well with the profiles Chelsea have in their squad, though, to get to the next level, their defence needs addressing.
TBR Football reported last week that Chelsea are looking at Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah and now we can reveal they’re eyeing two Barcelona players ahead of the Janaury window.
Chelsea eye Jules Kounde
Sources have confirmed to TBR Football that Chelsea remain interested in the situation of long-term target Jules Kounde.
Chelsea are in the market for a new central defender in 2025, and possibly another right-back depending on the future of captain Reece James.
Kounde for his part ticks both boxes and he was close to joining Chelsea in 2022 before Barcelona snapped him up from Sevilla.
Kounde has spent much of his time in Catalunya playing right-back but his natural position has always been centrally. Something which Chelsea would ideally still see him as.
Chelsea also keeping tabs on Ronald Araujo
Whilst keeping tabs on Kounde, which includes watching him on a regular basis, Chelsea are also continuing to monitor Ronald Araujo – whose long-term future at Barca remains in doubt.
Barcelona are looking to tie Araujo to a new long-term deal, with his current contract due to expire in 2026. Talks have been ongoing and if he doesn’t agree fresh terms, we are told that Barca will look to sell in 2025.
Chelsea are doing their work on a number of defensive options, with the summer 2025 window currently in their thinking.
If they were to land both Kounde and Araujo, who Xavi labelled the ‘world’s best’, it’d be regarded as a major coup.
