Following the signings of Marcos Alonso and Andreas Christensen, Barcelona could be planning another free transfer raid for another Chelsea player next summer, with Jorginho emerging as a target.
According to the Mirror, Barcelona is seriously considering a move for Jorginho as a potential replacement for club captain Sergio Busquets, whose contract with the Blues expires in 2023.
Busquets is in the final year of his contract with the Blaugrana and appears to be set on a move to the MLS. Even if he extends his contract for another year, the club captain will be 35 by the start of the next season, necessitating the Catalans’ recruitment of a replacement.
Barça is considering several options, including Wolves’ Ruben Neves and Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi as long-term targets. According to the aforementioned report, the La Liga leaders are also considering Jorginho as a replacement for their captain.
The Italian international joined Chelsea from Napoli in 2018 and has been a constant in the Chelsea midfield ever since, winning the UEFA Europa League, the Champions League, and a slew of other trophies with the London club.
Jorginho was also a key member of the Italian national team that won UEFA Euro 2020 last year. According to the report, Barcelona sees him as a viable option to replace Busquets because the Brazilian-born midfielder checks several boxes for Xavi’s side.
Furthermore, Jorginho’s availability on a Bosman deal next summer makes him an even more appealing option. A contract extension with Chelsea, however, cannot be ruled out at this time and will be contingent on new manager Graham Potter’s vision for the team.
This summer, the Catalans signed two Chelsea players on Bosman deals, Christensen and Alonso, and even tried to sign Cesar Azpilicueta. And Jorginho could be the next player swooped away from Stamford Bridge.
Leave a Reply