Report: Chelsea prepare an offer for Barcelona’s defensive target for the summer

Chelsea have performed exceptionally since Thomas Tuchel arrived in London. Surprisingly, they could get an excellent result against Real Madrid in UEFA Champions League in the first leg. However, they still have their feet on the ground and have identified areas of weakness. One such area is the position of the left-back.

According to El Gol Digital, Chelsea is considering signing Alfonso Pedraza from Villareal CF in their pursuit to increase squad depth. Currently, they have the services of Ben Chilwell and Marcos Alonso at that position. Chilwell has performed at a high level this season. However, he is prone to injuries, and Alonso has not established himself at Stamford Bridge for a long time.

It took four long seasons for Pedraza to get going at Estadio de la Ceramica. He had to spend four seasons loan before finally breaking the ceiling for the Yellow Submarines. The Spanish full-back has been an integral part of Unai Emery’s Villareal this season. He has already amassed 40 appearances for the club this season and has 2 goals and 4 assists to his name.

The 25-year-old has been on Barcelona’s radar also for a long time now. The club considers him as an alternative to Valencia’s Jose Luis Gaya. Sources close to the club have stated in the past that the board will look to offload Junior Firpo, and however good Jordi Alba is in attack, he has some serious defensive ailments.

The board and the team management are looking for a permanent long-term solution on the left side and rate Pedraza very highly for the spot.

Pedraza has a €35m release clause at the moment. However, it’s implausible that the clubs in pursuit will pay such a high amount for him. Reports from Spain indicate that Barça have prioritized the signings of a center-back and a striker. Only when these positions are reinforced, the club will look to strengthen other areas.

With the possible involvement of Chelsea, the race to sign Pedraza has intensified multifold. Chelsea is one of the clubs, who were not severely affected by the CoVID-19 Pandemic. They went on to sign players on their will during the last window, and nothing indicates that they won’t continue doing the same this year.

Alongside Luis Gaya, Barça also considers promoting the exciting Alejandro Balde from the B-team for the next season as alternatives for Pedraza.

Stats via Transfermarkt