Spanish giants Barcelona are now after another prestigious member of the Chelsea squad, after registering their interest in midfielders Romeo Lavia and Carney Chukwuemeka very recently.
Barcelona target Chelsea stars Lavia and Chukwuemeka
Earlier this week, reliable Blues journalist Simon Phillips shared news that the Catalans are considering a raid on Stamford Bridge as they weigh up new men for Hansi Flick’s engine room – given they’re pretty short in the midfield department right now.
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Indeed, Flick’s side have issues in the middle of the park, leading them to consider both Lavia and Chukwuemeka as options.
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While Barcelona are eyeing Lavia from Chelsea as a target, it is believed the club’s hierarchy and head coach Enzo Maresca in particular have adopted a firm ‘not for sale’ stance when it comes to the Belgian – as they theorize he’ll be a “vital” player in their long-term project.
It is a different case for Chukwuemeka, though. The 20-year-old, on a reported £100,000-per-week in west London, is up for grabs and there is a belief that Barcelona have been in contact with Chukwuemeka’s agents ahead of a potential move in January.
“The two names mentioned by our source is Lavia and Chukwuemeka, with Barcelona showing an interest in both players,” wrote Phillips via his Substack on Tuesday.
Carney Chukwuemeka
“There has also been agent contact, which we believe will be for Chukwuemeka as he is the player who is available in January. As for Lavia, we checked in with other club sources and they have said there is ‘absolutely ZERO chance’ Chelsea would even entertain an enquiry for the 20-year-old right now, and he is a huge part of the future of the club and someone who the club and Enzo Maresca see as vital for their plans and project going forward.
“Quite simply, they would tell Barcelona ‘not for sale at any price’ if an enquiry would come in. This will come as no surprise to anyone, thankfully. For Chukwuemeka though, Chelsea would be willing to hold talks over a sale.”
Barca are not the only elite European club after the former Aston Villa gem, with AC Milan also reaching out to Chukwuemeka’s representatives according to separate reports, so Flick may have some competition.
Barcelona eyeing move for Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez
Amid their fondness for Lavia and Chukwuemeka, Phillips also writes that the La Liga side are keen on £180,000-per-week mainstay midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
That is according to some of his sources, again via Substack, with Chelsea’s Fernandez attracting some interest from Barcelona ahead of 2025.
The Argentine World Cup winner signed for Chelsea in a deal worth £107 million last year, and despite a tough start, he is now beginning to impress under Maresca alongside fellow marquee midfielder Moises Caicedo.
This deal could be very unlikely to happen, considering Chelsea would want a good portion of the £107m they paid for Fernandez, and Barca’s well-documented financial problems suggest they wouldn’t even be able to get a move off the ground.
He is an ambitious target for Flick and their president Joan Laporta, with a deal for Chukwuemeka seeming far more realistic.