La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are reportedly edging closer to securing the services of Chelsea full-back Marcos Alonso in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, Marcos Alonso is closing in on sealing his desired move to Barcelona in the summer transfer window. The Catalan giants are on the verge of sealing the agreement to sign the Spanish full-back from Chelsea in a deal worth around €10 million.
Marcos Alonso has endured a rollercoaster ride since joining Chelsea from Fiorentina nearly half a dozen years ago. But the 31-year-old has still been a success story for Chelsea during his stay at Stamford Bridge, producing several noteworthy performances despite not always being the first-choice full-back.
The Spanish international has turned out 211 times for Chelsea, chipping in with 29 goals and 23 assists. But Alonso’s time at Chelsea seems to be drawing to a close, as he has entered the final year of his contract. And the player is keen on returning to Spain in the summer transfer window, with Barcelona his desired destination.
Alonso is the priority target for the left-back slot for Barcelona this summer, with the Blaugrana keen on bringing in a player to compete with Jordi Alba in the 2022/23 season. The veteran Spanish international is the only recognised left-back at Xavi Hernandez’s disposal, with Alejandro Balde yet to settle down in the first-team setup at Camp Nou.
In addition, Alba has started to show signs of age catching up with him, affecting his consistency as a result. So Xavi needs another option to bypass the prospect of leaving the left side of the Barcelona defence vulnerable in the coming season. Alonso has thus emerged as a viable target, with the Chelsea defender keen on joining the Catalan giants.
Barcelona and Chelsea have now taken a step towards reaching an agreement over a summer move for the 31-year-old, who will likely arrive at Camp Nou in a deal worth around €10 million. The final transfer fee is lower than Chelsea’s initial asking price of €13 million.
The Catalan giants want to secure the services of the Chelsea defender before they embark on their pre-season tour to the USA. And with the deal almost sealed, Barcelona will hope to finalise the transfer once they announce the signings of Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie.