Andreas Christensen has already spoken to Barcelona transfers chiefs ahead of his looming Chelsea departure. The 26-year-old sees his contract with the Blues expire at the end of the season and will be free to leave in the summer.
Football.london understands that Chelsea felt they had agreed on terms with the Denmark international's representative over a new five-year contract in August. However, nothing was signed and a dispute quickly arose over the length of the proposed deal and the agent's commission.
Though despite his uncertain future at Stamford Bridge, Christensen's featured 33 times for Thomas Tuchel's side this season, playing a crucial role in the west Londoner's success. He has attracted the attention of Barcelona and Inter Milan ahead of a potential switch, but it turns out that the foundations to an exit have already been built.
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Speaking on Catalunya Radio, relayed by Spanish outlet AS, former Barcelona chief Ramon Planes revealed that he tried to sign the Danish centre-half three years ago. Christensen, at the time, was an outsider at Chelsea under Antonio Conte and featured just 15 times in the Premier League that season.
The former transfer chief said: "Christensen is a good centre-back. In fact, I know that three years ago, we met with his agents when he didn’t play much at Chelsea — we met with his father, with the player and with the CEO of Chelsea.”
Antonio Rudiger is also set to leave west London at the end of the season, with his contract expiring in the summer too. And, in response to Chelsea's exodus of defensive talent, the Times claim that Tuchel is keen to add two new defenders to his armoury.
The Blues have been linked with several defenders ahead of the upcoming transfer window, though Jules Kounde has spearheaded the rumour mill. Sevilla's 22-year-old centre-half was linked with the west Londoners over the summer in a mouth-watering move worth upwards of £68 million.
The Athletic revealed that Chelsea had verbally agreed on a deal in principle worth £43 million with the Spanish side for Kounde's services, but the correlated sale of Kurt Zouma to West Ham saw Sevilla's sporting director, Monchi, increase their asking price.
According to the Press Association, Kounde remains one of the club's top targets and he's 'determined' to leave Sevilla at the end of the season.
