Chelsea and Manchester United have both made underwhelming starts to the Premier League season after busy transfer windows in the summer, but could continue to invest in players next year in order to revamp their squads.
Ekrem Konur has reported that the English duo are keen on signing an attacking midfielder and are prepared to battle it out for Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo, with Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur also keeping tabs on him.
He has established himself as a crucial part of Hansi Flick’s setup at Barcelona as well as under Luis de la Fuente in the Spanish national side, so interest in his services from a number of top clubs is not a surprise.
According to the journalist, Barcelona value the 28-year-old at £76 million and will look to make a fortune off his prospective sale as they have the former RB Leipzig star tied down to a contract until June 2030, and so are in no pressure to part ways with him.
Chelsea may trump United to Olmo’s signing
While Arsenal and Liverpool are keen on signing Dani Olmo, it remains to be seen how intently they pursue him as they already have very capable number 10s, while Tottenham Hotspur’s recent form means it’s a tall order for the player to join them.
Bayern Munich will be the biggest threat to Chelsea’s and Manchester United’s interest in signing Olmo as they can make him a part of a winning project rather than a transitional one, but the Premier League sides can offer better finances than the Bavarians.
It is likely that Chelsea will have the upper hand over United for Olmo considering there is a place in their squad at number 10 or in a slightly deeper midfield position after Enzo Fernandez’s sale, whilst the Red Devils still have Bruno Fernandes.
Should he join Chelsea, Olmo will not only play regularly but possibly have the chance to play under his compatriot, Xabi Alonso, who has a track record of getting the best out of attacking midfielders like Arda Guler and Florian Wirtz in previous jobs.
Olmo would be an excellent signing for Chelsea. His ability to exploit spaces in the final third, vision to find line-breaking passes and late runs into the box make him a very consistent attacking midfielder with statistics to show for his qualities.
For Chelsea to sign him, however, they will need to qualify for next season’s Champions League and therefore, their performances over the next few months will go a long way in determining whether they are viewed as a suitable destination by Olmo or not.
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