Barcelona had identified Borussia Dortmund starlet Youssoufa Moukoko as a potential addition for next summer, but they may be beaten to the punch by Chelsea.
As one of the most promising talents in Europe, and also just over six months remaining on his contract, it is no surprise that Barcelona were interested in him. As they continue to look for bargain deals, Moukoko would have fit Barcelona perfectly in terms of profile and cost.
However as per the Athletic, via Sport, old foes Chelsea might be able to rule Barcelona out of the race. The Blaugrana would look to agree a deal for him to arrive on a free, but Chelsea intend on making Dortmund an offer in January, which would give the German club the chance to recoup some money for Moukoko.
Barcelona would not be able to compete with Chelsea with a transfer fee in January and this could effectively rule them out of the running.
The one morsel of hope might be Moukoko himself. If he holds out until next summer, refusing to move in January, Barcelona might still have a chance. If he does move in the winter window for a fee, Moukoko might miss out on some of the money that would go to Dortmund, but in free transfers is usually destined for the player.
