Barcelona are reportedly willing to offer two of their key players in an attempt to secure the signing of Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez in what could be a major transfer move.
The Spanish club, which has reasserted its position as one of Europe’s elite teams this season, currently sits atop La Liga, ahead of rivals Real Madrid, and is comfortably among the top eight in the Champions League.
According to a recent report by TeamTalk, Barcelona are keen to strengthen their squad further and are preparing a potential deal that would see Frenkie de Jong and Ferran Torres leave the club in exchange for the Argentine international.
Fernandez, who is regarded as one of the Premier League’s most expensive signings, arrived at Chelsea in a £107 million deal nearly two years ago. However, rather than paying a transfer fee for Fernandez, Barcelona aims to use De Jong and Torres as makeweights to avoid spending cash in the deal.
De Jong and Torres, who were both brought to Barcelona for a combined total of £115 million, have struggled to maintain consistent form, which has impacted their market value.
Transfermarkt currently values De Jong at £49.3 million, while Torres is rated at £24.6 million. This drop in form has made the pair more expendable in the eyes of the club, as Barcelona looks to offload them in exchange for a player of Fernandez’s quality.
Despite their struggles, both De Jong and Torres remain high-profile players. De Jong, in particular, was a key signing for Barcelona, and Torres had shown flashes of promise since joining from Manchester City.
However, their inability to deliver consistently at the top level has raised doubts about their futures at Camp Nou.
At the beginning of the current season, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca initially overlooked Fernandez in favor of a midfield partnership between Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo.
But the 23-year-old has turned his fortunes around, impressing with a series of strong performances. Fernandez has scored three goals and provided six assists in his last six appearances across all competitions, including contributing in Chelsea’s last five Premier League matches.
As a result, Fernandez has become an integral part of the Chelsea team, making 19 appearances this season and proving his worth in the heart of midfield. Reports suggest that Chelsea now considers Fernandez untouchable and has no intention of selling him in the upcoming January or summer transfer windows.
This stance is likely to complicate Barcelona’s pursuit of the midfielder, as they would need to convince Chelsea to part ways with a player who has proven to be a vital asset to the team.
In conclusion, while Barcelona is eager to make a move for Enzo Fernandez, the deal faces significant obstacles. The young midfielder’s growing importance at Chelsea and the club’s reluctance to sell him will make this an ambitious, if not improbable, transfer pursuit.