Chelsea are said to have asked about Atletico Madrid midfielder Pablo Barrios, but the La Liga team have said they won’t accept offers below €100 million. Spanish reports say that Bayern Munich is also very interested, but Atletico are still set on keeping one of Diego Simeone’s most important players.
Barrios, 22, has become a regular starter in central midfield since graduating from the club’s academy. He now wears the No. 8 shirt. The player, who was born in Madrid and is under contract with Atletico until 2028, has also made the Spain national team. This makes Atletico’s case for a nine-figure fee for one of their homegrown leaders even stronger.
Reports have revealed that Bayern were willing to pay as much as €70 million for Barrios, which Chelsea are also thought to be willing to pay. However, Atletico’s management has set the bar at a three-digit amount to keep other teams from coming after their academy product.
Chelsea would need to invest a similar sum as they did on Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez to make a move like that. It would be a big test of how far the ownership is willing to go to change the midfield.
Barrios’ regular playing time in La Liga and Europe, along with his promotion to full Spain international, may put him ahead of Premier League targets like Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson. This is in terms of proven experience at the very highest level, even though he hasn’t played in English football yet.
Chelsea is Also Interested in Other Midfielders
Recent reports say Chelsea is actively considering a number of midfield targets as they look to make the center of the pitch more reliable and deeper. Romeo Lavia has been having fitness issues since he moved in 2023, which have limited his appearances due to recurring muscle problems. This has shown that the team needs another strong option in that area.
Many people think that Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton is a top candidate. Some sources even say he should be the team’s top priority in the next window, given his form for both club and country. Palace are thought to value the England midfielder at almost £100 million, which shows how quickly he has improved under Oliver Glasner and how important he is to the team.
Stamford Bridge is also very interested in Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, who is still very much on Manchester United’s list of targets. Reports say that Forest would want a lot of money for the 23-year-old, maybe between £70 and £100 million, after his excellent season in the Premier League and recent success with England.