Chelsea plot January move for another Barcelona player after missing out on Fermin Lopez – Report | OneFootball

Chelsea have, for quite some time now, shown consistent interest in signing promising FC Barcelona talents. They succeeded with Marc Guiu last year but failed in their pursuit of Fermin Lopez during the recently concluded summer window.

However, the Blues do not appear to be deterred by that setback. According to The Daily Briefing, Chelsea are once again monitoring the situation of Marc Casado, whose struggle for regular game time under Hansi Flick continues.

Mark Brus of The Daily Briefing reports that the London club views Casado as a strong fit for their system and a smart long-term investment. He adds that Chelsea are prepared to table an offer in the region of €30 to €35 million for the midfielder in January, while remaining mindful of Arsenal’s growing interest in the player.

Brus further notes that Barcelona may be open to parting ways with Casado due to their current financial constraints. A potential sale could help ease the club’s economic burden and balance the books, making the Catalan side more receptive to negotiations.

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Despite that, Barcelona’s midfield hierarchy remains clearly defined, with Pedri and Frenkie de Jong established as undisputed starters in Flick’s double pivot. Casado typically becomes an option only when Flick wants to rest one of the duo or when either is injured.

As a result, the 22-year-old may be tempted to explore opportunities elsewhere in search of regular playing time.

Yet, Chelsea may not necessarily provide the perfect solution. Much like Barcelona, their midfield is already well stocked, with Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez anchoring the side. Even Romeo Lavia has found minutes hard to come by at Stamford Bridge.

Other clubs, including Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, West Ham, Wolves, and Marseille, have also been mentioned as potential suitors, according to The Daily Briefing. Arsenal, in particular, could look to strengthen in that area as Mikel Arteta continues to plan for the future.

Even so, Casado remains deeply committed to Barcelona. Despite not being a regular starter, he understands his value as a reliable squad player for Flick. Therefore, a January departure appears highly improbable at this stage. It remains to be seen how the situation develops in the coming months.