Chelsea and Liverpool could be set to compete for a highly valued La Liga midfielder in January.
The Blues, having just secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Barcelona in the Champions League, are reportedly interested in this midfield option, whose versatility and tenacity are appreciated in West London.
Despite the presence of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Andrey Santos and the injury-prone Romeo Lavia, the West London club remain open to expanding their options in that position.
Liverpool’s name has also been mentioned in the report, though their priority currently is to address their shaky defence to provide alternative options to Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.
The player in question is believed to be Atletico Madrid’s Pablo Barrios, who joined Los Colchoneros in 2017 after transferring from city rivals Real Madrid.
Pablo Barrios to Chelsea? Fee revealed for rumoured Blues and Liverpool target
According to Fichajes, Barrios has attracted Chelsea's interest ahead of the January window because of his versatility and ability to play multiple midfield roles.
The 22-year-old excels in defensive, central and attacking midfield, which reportedly makes him appealing to Enzo Maresca, who believes he could complement Caicedo and Fernandez in midfield.
Although Liverpool are said to have the Spain international on their shortlist, a reported fee of €90m (£79.3m) that the Madrid club might demand could discourage the Reds, whose main focus is strengthening their defence.
Arne Slot’s team have looked unstable at the back throughout the season, especially at centre-back and full-back; Konate’s contract uncertainty has been highlighted by the Frenchman’s subpar performances, Milos Kerkez has struggled since transferring from Bournemouth and Jeremie Frimpong is currently out injured.
Since the Reds appear to prioritise a defender, Chelsea are probably the only club interested in signing Barrios in the winter.
Pablo Barrios to Chelsea: How good is the reported Blues target?
While it remains to be seen how Barrios performs outside of Spain if Chelsea ultimately attempt to sign the Atleti midfielder, the 22-year-old’s versatile play style is of interest to the Blues.
Moreover, the Madrid-based midfielder is primarily a high-volume dribbler, as demonstrated by his ranking in the 86th percentile for take-ons completed, according to Fbref.
The young midfielder's success rate of 1.25 dribbles completed per 90 minutes in the last year, among players in his position in Europe's major leagues, places him in the 93rd percentile.
Barrios's carries into the final third — 2.03 per 90 — position him in the 88th percentile over the past 12 months, further emphasising his eagerness to influence the game in attacking areas through his aggressive ball-carrying.