La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are reportedly edging closer to securing the services of Spanish defender Marcos Alonso from Chelsea.
According to reputed German journalist Christian Falk, Marcos Alonso is one step closer to moving to Barcelona in the summer transfer window. The move for the Chelsea defender is in the final stage, with Barcelona set to resume the negotiations after returning from the pre-season tour to the USA.
Marcos Alonso might not have been an iconic player for Chelsea during his ongoing six-year stint with Chelsea. But the 31-year-old has remained an ever-present figure in the defensive unit for the most part while producing several noteworthy performances.
Alonso has turned out 211 times for Chelsea thus far, chipping in with a solid return of 29 goals and 23 assists. At the same time, he has also established a foothold in the Spanish national team and will have a good chance to book his ticket to Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. But Alonso wants to return to Spain ahead of the 2022/23 season, with Barcelona keen on signing him.
The interest from Barcelona stemmed from their inability to successfully pursue Jose Gaya, who had initially been their priority target. The Catalan giants are eager to add competition for Jordi Alba, with the veteran full-back approaching the final phase of his glittering career.
The Spaniard has shown signs of age catching up with him, compelling Barcelona to delve into the market for a left-back, as Alejandro Balde is yet to settle down in the first-team squad at Camp Nou. Alonso has thus become the priority target for Barcelona, with the Blaugrana engrossed in talks with Chelsea.
But recent reports had suggested that the move for Alonso had stalled, with negotiations between Barcelona and Chelsea not progressing satisfactorily. However, according to Christian Falk, Alonso is now edging closer to joining the Catalan club, who will resume the final leg of the discussions with Chelsea after returning from the pre-season tour to the USA.
As per Falk’s account, Alonso might finally get his wish of returning to Spain, with personal terms unlikely to be an issue. And a good start to the 2022/23 season should help him carry forward his competition with Alba from Barcelona to the Spanish national side if he moves to Camp Nou in the coming weeks.
