Chelsea went to battle with Barcelona during the summer transfer market of 2022, and it looks as if they might be able to move ahead of the Blaugrana for one of their targets in the coming months.
Fichajes say that Chelsea are interested Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, a player Graham Potter likes and feels would suit his system. Renowned for his excellent distribution and ability to remain composed in the throng of the midfield, Zubimendi has been a standout in La Liga for some time. His positioning and ability to snuff out attacks with aggressive pressing, are also key parts of his game.
It has led to him being dubbed as Sergio Busquets’ successor, not least Xavi Hernandez, who is keen on seeing him at Barcelona. While Rodri Hernandez will likely take over, Zubimendi has also been tipped to make it in the Spanish national team after Busquets’ retirement too.
Barcelona look as if they will be priced out of the operation. Having just renewed his contract until 2027, La Real are in a strong position to demand his €60m release clause up front. Zubimendi is unlikely to demand an exit any time soon either.
Interestingly, the other alternatives are Moises Caicedo, Declan Rice and Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong. Potter clearly believes that de Jong can operate in a similar manner to Zubimendi, that Xavi either does not agree with or prefers de Jong in a different role.
