Chelsea could reportedly launch a pursuit for Barcelona full-back Alejandro Balde if Ben Chilwell departs at the end of the season.
England international Chilwell has been plagued by injuries during his time at Stamford Bridge, having waved goodbye to Leicester City in the summer of 2020.
The left-back has stayed fit over the past few weeks to star for club and country, but his long-term future is still being called into question.
Manchester City are believed to be interested in the 26-year-old as a replacement for Joao Cancelo, who could depart permanently for Bayern Munich in a few months' time.
Chilwell remains contracted to the Stamford Bridge outfit until the summer of 2025, but according to Sport, there is a real possibility that he could be on the move when the transfer window opens.
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Should the defender indeed seek pastures new, Barcelona's Balde could emerge as a prime target for Graham Potter's side amid uncertainty surrounding his contract situation at Barcelona.
For several years, Jordi Alba's left-back berth at Camp Nou was unchallenged, but 19-year-old Balde has largely consigned his compatriot to the bench during the current campaign.
Balde has six assists to boast from 33 appearances in the 2022-23 season, starting 20 games in La Liga and demonstrating his versatility in a variety of roles.
While predominantly featuring as a left-back, Balde has deputised on the right-hand side of the backline on a few occasions and has also been deployed as a left-winger.
However, the defender has entered the final 18 months of his contract at Camp Nou, and Barcelona are therefore at risk of losing him on a free transfer in the summer of 2024.
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Barcelona are working on a new contract for Balde as a matter of priority, and the report adds that both player and agent Jorge Mendes are in favour of him continuing in Catalonia.
However, La Blaugrana must slash their wage bill to comply with La Liga's regulations, and failure to do so could scupper their attempts to agree fresh terms with Balde.
Furthermore, given their dire need to raise funds through player sales, Barca's arm could be twisted if Chelsea come up with an offer that is too good to ignore, but the consensus is that the teenager will ultimately agree to a new contract.
Balde has now made 40 appearances for Xavi's side since coming through the club's academy, and he recently announced his desire to remain at the club for years to come.
Meanwhile, Chilwell has racked up nine goals and 12 assists from 77 matches for Chelsea over the past two-and-a-half years, but he has missed a further 56 games through injury for the Blues.
Ben Knapton
