Chelsea have entered the race to sign highly rated Spanish midfielder Dro Fernandez from Barcelona, according to Fichajes.
After arriving at Barcelona in 2022 at just 14, Fernández has risen rapidly through La Masia, with his development drawing early comparisons to Thiago Alcântara and Pedri.
His introduction to senior football came during pre-season, where a spectacular goal against Daegu FC put him firmly on the radar, before he went on to make his LaLiga debut against Real Sociedad in September.
That breakthrough was followed by a first Champions League start versus Olympiacos, a night on which he teed up Fermín López and became the second-youngest player ever to register an assist in the competition, behind only United States international Giovanni Reyna.
In recent days, the youngster reportedly indicated his desire to depart the club, which has now drawn interest from several top European clubs for his signature.
Chelsea have now emerged among the clubs looking to sign him, according to Fichajes, which claims that the London giants have joined the race to sign Fernandez.
The Blues see his availability as a perfect market opportunity to sign yet another exciting talent that fits their youth-driven recruitment strategy with the potential to become a key player in the future with a high resale value, according to the report.
Battle
However, they face stern competition from Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund, who are set to go into a bidding war with the Blues to sign the Spanish U18 star, Fichajes adds.
The Blues will need to act swiftly to stand a chance to secure his signature, as Ben Jacobs, in a recent development, claims that French champions Paris Saint-Germain are now the frontrunners and are set to trigger the Spaniard’s £5m release clause.
While Fernández has already shown he can perform at the very top level in Spain — standing out for both his passing efficiency and his ability to operate under pressure — his pathway at Chelsea would be far less straightforward.
The Blues are already well stocked in central areas, with Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Andrey Santos, Romeo Lavia, Dário Essugo, and highly rated academy prospect Reggie Walsh all competing for minutes under Enzo Maresca.
Hence, the Blues should instead refocus on bolstering other positions of their team, particularly in defence, as Fernandez would likely find opportunities hard to come by at Stamford Bridge if a move were completed.
