Barcelona have reportedly cast their eyes on three Chelsea players and are set to make a stunning triple raid on the Premier League club in the summer.
Spanish outlet Marca have reported that Barcelona had Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso and Nemanja Matic scouted this week. The La Liga heavyweights are now considering a sensational triple raid on Chelsea for the players in the summer.
Chelsea have been on a roll this season, shedding the memories of last season’s disaster as a bad dream with new manager Antonio Conte turning things around magnificently. The Blues have romped to the top of the Premier League table and look set to win the title come May, having established a massive ten-point lead over second placed Tottenham Hotspur.
One of the keys to Conte’s success this season is that the Italian tactician has more or less picked his side from a small set of players, with the majority of the players from that group being ever present in the team.
Three such players who have been integral to Chelsea’s success this season are Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso and Nemanja Matic. Azpilicueta has been deployed as a centre-back in Conte’s three-man defence and he has taken to his new role like fish to water.
He has formed a solid partnership with David Luiz and Gary Cahill and his dependability has been a key factor in the Blues boasting the best defensive record in the English top flight. Meanwhile, Matic seems to be back to his best following a season of disappointment in 2015/16.
The Serbian has forged a formidable partnership with N’Golo Kante in midfield and the duo have kept things tight in the centre of the park while rotating the ball at a quick tempo to release their attacking partners through to their dangerous counter attacks.
Alonso, meanwhile, has settled back into life in England quickly and has been one of the surprise packages in Conte’s side. Charging up and down the left flank throughout the match, he has shown tenacity in defence and has developed a good understanding with Eden Hazard in attack.
It goes without saying that the trio, while not grabbing the headlines, have been instrumental to Chelsea’s success this season and have often been the go-to men for their manager. However, their stellar performances seem to have caught the eye and Barcelona are plotting summer moves for the players.
The Blaugrana had sporting director Robert Fernandez and scout Urbano Ortega present at the London Stadium on Monday to watch the trio in action against West Ham United. Barcelona are keen to bolster their defence and midfield in the summer and have identified the three Chelsea players as potential targets.
Azpilicueta, as he has shown throughout his Chelsea career, can be a real asset for the Catalan club, as he has been equally adept playing across defence. But he is being eyed as a long-term solution at right-back for the La Liga champions.
Matic’s addition, meanwhile, would beef up the new Barcelona manager’s midfield in the summer with the side often struggling to assert themselves in the centre of the park this season. And Alonso, who also turned down Barcelona last summer, will provide some much needed competition at left-back.
Barcelona have already scouted several players in these position including the likes of Hector Bellerin, Rick Karsdorp and Naby Keita to name a few. The Chelsea trio are the latest names to be linked with the Catalan club, but it seems unlikely that the Blues will be willing to part with any of them in the summer.
