Barcelona face Chelsea, Inter Milan battle in free transfer pursuit of French forward

With Barcelona once again setting their sights on the free-transfer pool for the summer transfer window, Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram has emerged as one of the many potential targets.

The French attacker is in the final six months of his contract with the Bundesliga outfit and Barcelona reportedly are looking at the possibility of signing him, having received good reports on the 25-year-old.

However, according to German journalist Patrick Berger, Barcelona are not alone in the free transfer pursuit of Thuram as Premier League giants Chelsea and Serie A heavyweights Inter Milan are also keen on signing him.

Thuram has been in red-hot form for Gladbach this season, having already managed to rack up a return of 13 goals and four assists from 17 matches across all competitions.

The 25-year-old, who was part of France’s squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, has been a consistent performer for Die Fohlen over the past few years and seems ready to take the next step in his career.

Able to play anywhere across the frontline, Thuram can be an exciting option for Barcelona, who have struggled for goals in the absence of ace striker Robert Lewandowski.

Furthermore, there is no natural backup for him in the No. 9 role and with Memphis Depay expected to depart soon, a versatile player like Thuram, who can play centrally, can be a great acquisition.

However, Chelsea are interested in signing him and would be willing to push for his signing this month itself. Inter Milan, too, are in the race for the 25-year-old.

But the report adds that Thuram wants to see out the remainder of the season at Gladbach and leave as a free agent, although things can change quickly.

It will be up to Barcelona to take the next step in their efforts to sign Thuram, if they are indeed serious about acquiring the services of the French international.