Barcelona will reportedly need to fend off stiff competition from Serie A giants AS Roma to sign Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Andreas Christensen has emerged on the radar of AS Roma over a possible Bosman move in the summer transfer window. The Serie A giants have joined Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the race to sign the Chelsea defender.
Andreas Christensen has enjoyed a solid stint with Chelsea since establishing himself as a regular fixture at Stamford Bridge. The Danish international has particularly been a key figure for the Blues since Thomas Tuchel took charge, establishing himself as a mainstay at the back.
To date, the 25-year-old has made 153 appearances for Chelsea, with 26 outings coming in the ongoing campaign. But the Premier League heavyweights are in a spot of bother over Christensen’s long-term future, as he has entered the final six months of his contract. Such a situation has alerted several European bigwigs, including Barcelona and AS Roma.
The interest from Barcelona could be due to multiple reasons. While Gerard Pique is in the twilight of his career, his supposed successor, Eric Garcia, has struggled to make an impression this season. In addition, Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti have seen their stocks fall considerably in the last couple of years.
Barcelona will thus need to delve into the transfer market for a centre-back in the summer transfer window, especially amid uncertainties surrounding the future of Ronald Araujo, coincidentally linked with Chelsea. To that end, Christensen has emerged as a viable target for Barcelona, who will face stiff competition from AS Roma in pursuit of the Chelsea defender.
The Serie A giants have endured a difficult campaign under Jose Mourinho, with the ex-Chelsea boss failing to get the best out of the players. And with Chris Smalling failing to impress Mourinho, AS Roma could likely be targeting Christensen as a replacement for the English defender.
Recent reports have claimed that Barcelona might be ahead of Bayern Munich and other suitors in the race to sign Christensen. But AS Roma’s entry into the picture might complicate matters. As for the player himself, he recently commented on his “difficult” contract situation, and it remains to be seen if Chelsea will be able to tie him down a renewal.
