Barcelona have reportedly accelerated their pursuit to sign Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen, who is out of contract at Stamford Bridge in four months.
The 25-year-old has struggled for game time under Thomas Tuchel this season, making just 13 Premier League appearances, with Antonio Rudiger and Thiago Silva being preferred in the heart of defence.
Christensen is expected to clarify where he wants his future to lay by the end of March, as time is running out on negotiating a new contract with the Blues.
According to Marca, Xavi wants to strengthen the depth in his centre-back options and Christensen would join Gerard Pique, Ronald Araujo and Eric Garcia in that department, also adding Champions League experience to the squad.
The report suggests that Barca is not the Denmark international's top destination, with other clubs also monitoring his availability, but the Catalan giants will use the next few weeks to try and persuade the defender to move to Camp Nou.
Christensen would bring a seven-year spell as a senior pro at Stamford Bridge to an end, during which time he has made 151 appearances for the club.
Sammy Wynne
