Chelsea are in battle with Manchester City for the transfer of Barcelona’s attacking midfield starlet, Dro Fernández, according to Fichajes.
Barcelona are renowned for their reliance on academy products, with much of their current first-team core having risen through La Masia.
The newest prospect drawing attention is Dro Fernandez, who made his debut at Montjuic and played the first 45 minutes of the game against Real Sociedad on Sunday, which ended in a 2-1 win for Hansi Flick’s side.
The highly rated playmaker has consistently displayed maturity beyond his age in youth football, and it’s little surprise that Chelsea, with their youth-focused strategy, see him as a potentially valuable long-term addition.
According to Fichajes, the Blues have set their sights on Fernández and are now plotting a possible swoop for his transfer to Stamford Bridge.
The report adds that the West London outfit see his tactical intelligence and room for development as valuable assets to strengthen their squad both now and in the future.
However, they face stern competition from Premier League rivals Manchester City, who have also expressed interest in the Spanish midfield starlet, citing his qualities as a perfect fit for their system, according to the report.
Battle
Having invested heavily to bolster their youth ranks in recent seasons, the Spanish outlet claims that both Chelsea and City are looking to submit a £13m formal offer to the Catalan giants to sign Fernández.
Chelsea and City have excelled in recent seasons at recruiting promising youngsters, and both clubs are now seeking to further strengthen the impressive pool of emerging talent already on their books.
For the Blues, they have courted a wide range of talents across Africa, Europe, and South America, with the likes of Dujuan Richards, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Estevao Willian, Andrey Santos, and Mike Penders being added to their ranks.
Man City, on the other hand, have secured the signings of Sverre Nypan, Cavan Sullivan, and Máximo Perrone, who have all gained significant loan experience in the top flight.
Considering the strong relationship between Pep Guardiola and Barcelona, the youngster could be tempted to join City, given their similar playing style, so Chelsea will need to act swiftly to beat their rivals to his signature.
