Chelsea and Liverpool are in contrasting form, but a common theme between the two Premier League sides next year could be the interest of midfielders as they look to strengthen their engine rooms with more energy and depth.
According to BuitenspelThe Blues and Reds could be set to go head-to-head over the signing of Atletico Madrid midfielder Pablo Barrios, after monitoring his development at La Liga in recent weeks.
Barrios is valued at £79 million by Los Rojiblancos and has become a vital part of Diego Simeone’s plans over the past year, alongside his cap with the Spanish national team due to his impressive form with Atletico’s first team.
Chelsea could prioritize Barrios over Liverpool
Liverpool have enough quality in midfield, with the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch, not to be desperate to sign another option, especially if they have to pay a huge transfer fee to do so.
Instead, a large chunk of their transfer budget next year could be spent on revamping their backline and possibly replacing Mohamed Salah, a player the Reds have been heavily reliant on since his arrival from AS Roma in 2017.
Meanwhile, Chelsea could prioritize the signing of Pablo Barrios as they need some more depth in midfield given their over-reliance on Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, while Romeo Lavia’s fitness struggles have left the club frustrated.
The Atletico Madrid star could be the ideal option to compete for a spot alongside Enzo Fernandez, as both players have a similar profile with or without the ball, while Chelsea, if they work together, could break down the lower blocks a little easier.
Barrios is also doing excellent defensively, having worked on his game without the ball over the years under Diego Simeone. So he is a tactically intelligent and versatile player, who promises to be an ideal box-to-box option for Chelsea.
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