BARCELONA
Barcelona plan Chelsea raid for Pulisic, Ziyech and Hudson-Odoi
Xavi is combing the market for loan deals and has alighted on a trio of Chelsea players who may be available: Hudson-Odoi, Ziyech and Pulisic.
New Barcelona manager Xavi has made his first signing after returning to Camp Nou, adding 38-year-old former teammate Dani Alves to his squad after the Brazilian rescinded his contract with São Paulo. Reports suggest that Xavi is also keen on bringing Thiago Alcântara back to Barça while the Liga giants remain keen on Manchester City and England forward Raheem Sterling. According to reports, Barça are also keeping tabs on the situation of three players at another Premier League club, Chelsea: Callum Hudson-Odoi, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic.
None of the three are entirely happy with their lot under Thomas Tuchel and Catalan daily Sport reports that Barça are exploring the possibility of permanent deals or loan moves for the three attacking players, who have seen their playing time limited at Stamford Bridge due to the raft of options available to the German tactician. Given Barcelona’s financial constraints and a lengthy injury list, the addition of one or all of the trio would represent a boost to Xavi’s attacking options.
Ziyech, Hudson-Odoi and Pulisic struggling under Tuchel
Morocco winger Ziyech has been linked with Barcelona in the past and although he has had his moments at Chelsea, he has been far from the player that he was at Ajax and could be interested in a change of scenery in a more technical league, with Borussia Dortmund also keeping an eye on his situation at Chelsea. So far this season Ziyech has featured for only 576 minutes under Tuchel.
Hudson-Odoi has been a more regular feature for the Blues with 800 minutes under his belt but has started only five Premier League games and has not made an England squad since 2019. The 21-year-old has often been linked with a move, most notably to Bayern Munich, who have long been admirers, and may feel the time has come to try his luck elsewhere having spent his entire career to date at Stamford Bridge and with a World Cup on the horizon.
Pulisic’s situation is slightly different to his teammates, the US international playing when fit but failing to establish himself as a key member of the side under Tuchel despite his contributions to Chelsea’s Champions League winning campaign last season. The 23-year-old’s name often crops up around the transfer window and while Chelsea are unlikely to sanction a permanent deal that would see the Premier League side take a huge hit on the €64 million they paid Dortmund for the winger, a loan move could be a n option that suits all parties under the current circumstances.