Barcelona are looking to sign a new left-back in the summer and are keeping a close eye on Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso, who could leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.
Alonso was behind Ben Chilwell in the left-back pecking order at Chelsea before the Englishman went down with a season-ending knee injury in November, opening the door for more minutes.
He managed just 45 minutes in the first half of Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Wolves before being benched for Saul Niguez – a decision which manager Thomas Tuchel stressed was not down to an injury.
Alonso was seen shouting at Tuchel towards the end of the first half with the manager seemingly unimpressed with his performance, and reports have suggested that this bust-up continued into the break and led to his exit from the game.
Amid suggestions that the clash could bring an end to his Chelsea career, numerous sources have reported that Alonso could be on his way to Barcelona this summer.
The left-back, who has openly admitted he wants to return to La Liga in the near future, has just 12 months remaining on his current contract and Barcelona are keen to make the most of that and snap him up.
Barcelona have already agreed to sign Andreas Christensen from Chelsea and continue to push for right-back Cesar Azpilicueta, while they failed with an attempt to convince Antonio Rudiger, who will soon complete a free transfer to Real Madrid.
Their focus is now on Alonso, although formal talks with Chelsea cannot be held until the Blues’ new ownership is in place and their current sanctions are lifted.
Listen now to 90min’s brand new podcast, Talking Transfers, with Scott Saunders & Graeme Bailey. On this week’s show they are joined by Toby Cudworth and discuss the interest in Aurelien Tchouameni, as well the contract situations of Sadio Mane, Reece James, Pep Guardiola & Kylian Mbappe, and updates on Marcus Rashford.
This is not the first time that a clash with a manager has pushed Alonso towards the exit door. The Spaniard got into it with former boss Frank Lampard midway through a 3-3 draw with West Brom just three games into the 2020/21 season and did not play again until Tuchel arrived in the dugout in January.
Chelsea will now have to make a decision on Alonso as he approaches the end of his deal, just as they will do with midfielders Jorginho and N’Golo Kante. 90min understands the former could be sold this summer, with Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri eyeing another reunion with the Italy international.
