Chelsea are preparing a formal offer to sign Atlético Madrid midfielder Pablo Barrios, according to Fichajes.
Barrios progressed through Real Madrid’s academy before switching across the capital to join Atlético Madrid in 2017. His development at Los Rojiblancos was swift, earning him promotion to the first team at the beginning of 2023.
He established himself as a reliable squad option last season, making 41 appearances across all competitions. That role has expanded further this campaign, with the midfielder featuring in 20 of Atlético’s 22 LaLiga fixtures and all six of their Champions League matches.
Despite strong competition in central midfield, Barrios was initially deployed across multiple roles before settling into his natural position. The second pivot role has been shared among Captain Koke, Johnny Cardoso, and Conor Gallagher, who has since moved to Tottenham Hotspur.
This season, Barrios has stood out for his relentless energy, tidy distribution, creativity and sharp reading of danger, attributes that have attracted significant praise and growing interest from multiple clubs.
The latest club to join the race for Barrios is Chelsea, according to Fichajes, which claims that the Premier League club have expressed interest in signing the 22-year-old.
‘Priority’ target
Amid keen interest in the youngster, the Blues are looking to steal a march on other rivals, as the report adds that Liam Rosenior’s side are preparing to submit a formal £69m offer to secure his signature.
The London giants see the Spanish midfielder as a perfect fit for their youth-driven recruitment model and have earmarked him as a ‘priority’ target for their midfield, with Rosenior pushing for his services, according to the report.
In a boost to the Blues, the Spanish outlet reports that Atlético are reluctant to allow Barrios to leave, especially with a contract at the Estadio Riyadh Air Metropolitano until 2030, but Chelsea’s audacious offer could be considered.
Rosenior currently has Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Andrey Santos, Romeo Lavia, and Dario Essugo as his midfield options, while Reece James is now being deployed more in midfield, where he has performed admirably, rather than in his natural right-back position.
While the numbers suggest the club are well-stacked in the middle of the park, persistent injuries to Lavia and Essugo, and Fernandez’s preference to play higher up, mean the club could consider a reliable central midfielder, and Barrios would be a quality option if a deal is agreed.
