Chelsea have been supplied a Barcelona star who Spain legend Carles Puyol beforehand known as one in all world soccer’s greatest in his place, in keeping with a brand new report.
Chelsea prioritise new centre-back for January switch window
Enzo Maresca, after seeing his want for a brand new centre-back unfulfilled final summer season, is in settlement with the Blues that they should carry one in when the winter window opens.
Chelsea’s lack of choices was laid naked throughout their 2-1 win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge simply previous to the worldwide break, with Trevoh Chalobah suspended and lacking the conflict alongside the injured Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo and Levi Colwill.
Chelsea harm worries | Drawback | Estimated return date |
|---|---|---|
Enzo Fernández | Knee | Unknown |
Cole Palmer | Groin | November |
Andrey Santos | Knock | Unknown |
Dario Essugo | Thigh | Early 2026 |
Liam Delap | Hamstring | November |
Levi Colwill | ACL | Spring 2026 |
through Customary Sport | ||
Whereas Fofana and Tosin are anticipated to be accessible for Chelsea’s Premier League return in opposition to Nottingham Forest this weekend, alongside Chalobah, who’s served his one-match suspension after being despatched off in opposition to Brighton, the centre of defence must be solidified with confirmed high quality.
Chelsea tried to signal Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth earlier than the Spaniard’s transfer to Actual Madrid, and internally mentioned the potential of a brand new centre-back later in the summertime after Colwill’s ACL harm.
Nonetheless, after failing to supply the best profile, Chelsea in the end did not transfer for one, with Maresca and Stamford Bridge chiefs now set to prioritise defensive reinforcements in January (Pete O’Rourke).
Chelsea additionally needed one other goalkeeper, as evident by their summer season talks for AC Milan’s Mike Maignan and hyperlinks to Gianluigi Donnarumma, with Cobham academy graduate Marc Guehi additionally talked about as a BlueCo goal for 2026.
“For those who spoke to most individuals relating to Chelsea, these had been the positions that they clearly suppose perhaps regarded like wanted strengthening greater than elsewhere,” former Chelsea star Jody Morris informed SunSport on the membership’s want for a brand new keeper and centre-half.
“I believe should you’re speaking about two gamers in Donnarumma and Marc Guehi, you completely would go, I believe they improve most groups, not simply Chelsea.”
Chelsea are believed to be assessing targets proper now, and so they’ve acquired their eyes on a couple of key males from Barcelona.
Chelsea supplied Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo
One in every of them, in keeping with journalist Graeme Bailey, is £208,000-per-week defender Ronald Araujo.
The Uruguay worldwide, who’s captained Hansi Flick’s La Liga champions every time he is began a sport this season, is underneath contract till 2031 and can probably command a premium price ticket.
He is additionally not overly eager on leaving Catalonia as issues stand both, however Bailey has informed TBR Soccer that Chelsea have been supplied the possibility to signal Araujo regardless, doubtlessly by Barça themselves, contemplating their well-documented monetary issues.
“I’m informed [Eric] Garcia is somebody Chelsea would need in January, however the likelihood is he could have signed a brand new deal,” Bailey mentioned.
“They’ve been supplied Araujo, and in concept, they do have an curiosity, however they’re but to be satisfied he needs to depart Barcelona, so I don’t imagine they’re pushing too laborious on that.
“Ought to Araujo make it clear he would transfer, then issues might very effectively change, however because it stands, he actually isn’t eager on leaving.”
The 26-year-old was out and in of Flick’s beginning eleven final time period, and missed the primary half of 2024/2025 with a severe hamstring harm.
Regardless of accidents thwarting his momentum throughout Flick’s debut marketing campaign as Barcelona boss, Araujo has now labored his means again into being a agency common, and his top-level expertise could possibly be precisely what Chelsea want.
Throughout his time at Barça, Puyol has additionally lavished Araujo as top-of-the-line centre-backs in world soccer.
“He’s in extraordinary situation. I’ll keep on with what they’ve informed me, as a result of I don’t know him personally, however he’s very skilled, humble, he at all times provides his greatest in coaching and matches and that’s the place his efficiency is,” Puyol informed Mundo Deportivo in 2023.
“Proper now, if he’s not the most effective central defender on this planet, he’s among the many high three. He’s younger, he nonetheless has room for enchancment and I believe we have now an excellent central defender at Barcelona for a few years to return”.
