Chelsea and Liverpool are in contrasting run of types however a typical theme between the 2 Premier League sides subsequent yr could be an curiosity in midfielders as they appear to bolster their engine rooms with extra power and depth.
In keeping with Caught Offside, the Blues and the Reds could also be about to go head-to-head over the signing of Atletico Madrid midfielder Pablo Barrios having been protecting tabs on his growth with the La Liga outfit in current weeks.
Barrios is valued at £79 million by Los Rojiblancos and has develop into a significant a part of Diego Simeone’s plans within the final yr or so, alongside being capped with the Spanish nationwide group for his spectacular kind with the Atletico first group.
Chelsea may prioritise Barrios over Liverpool
Liverpool have sufficient high quality in midfield with the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch to not desperately need to signal an alternative choice, particularly if it requires them to could a mammoth switch charge.
As a substitute, a lot of their switch price range subsequent yr could be channeled in direction of revamping their backline and doubtlessly changing Mohamed Salah, a participant that the Reds have been closely reliant on since his arrival from Roma in 2017.
In the meantime, Chelsea may prioritise Pablo Barrios’ buy as they require some extra depth in midfield given their over-reliance on Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, whereas Romeo Lavia’s struggles with health have left the membership annoyed.
The Atletico Madrid star might be the best choice to compete for a spot with Enzo Fernandez as each gamers carry the same profile with or with out the ball, whereas if employed collectively, Chelsea may break down decrease blocks a bit extra simply.
Defensively additionally, Barrios finally ends up doing a terrific job having labored on his recreation with out the ball below Diego Simeone over time, so he’s a tactically clever and versatile participant, who guarantees to be an excellent box-to-box possibility for Chelsea.
