Chelsea will be watching on with interest as a mini-transfer merry-go-round sees two of their targets involved in possible moves across Europe.
The Blues spent over £250m in the summer thanks to massive backing from new co-owners Todd Boehly/Clearlake Capital but the transfer splurge looks set to continue into 2023. Chelsea only reinforced their already fragile midfield with the loan of Denis Zakaria and he is yet to play a single minute.
The Swiss international doesn't appear to be any more apart of Graham Potter's plans as he was for Thomas Tuchel and has left the new manager with quite the selection headache.
READ MORE: Four things learned as Graham Potter falls to first Chelsea defeat versus Brighton
Potter is working without N'Golo Kante and Reece James currently, two of the best defensive players at the club and both vital fulcrums for the balance of the side. Without them, Chelsea have struggled to find consistency in the middle of the park despite Potter's nine-match unbeaten start before losing to Brighton.
The midfield is, therefore, an area of great importance in the upcoming windows. Having spent large parts of the summer flirting with the idea of making a bid for Frenkie de Jong Chelsea were unable to prize him away from Barcelona due to wage deferral complications and a desire to remain in Spain if possible.
De Jong was also a target for Manchester United - who initially had an offer agreed for the Dutchman - and he could be at the centre of more movement next summer. With Newcastle's remarkable form this season taking people by surprise, their star midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has caught the attention and is on the list of players wanted by Chelsea.
He only signed in January for £35m but would now take at least £60m to get him to move from St James' Park. Such is the urgency to keep him in the north east contract discussions have already opened up. He is committed to the Toon until 2026 currently.
Where Barcelona come into play is that they have exited the Champions League early this season and were in financial turmoil before then anyway. Being confirmed as dropping into the Europa League only worsens this position and could lead to a flash sale over the summer.
If De Jong is to be one of the players sold then it would surely open up a move to Chelsea. The Daily Star report that the Catalan giants are also interested in Guimaraes though, and a big cash sum for De Jong could help them finance that move. De Jong was reportedly available for £80m over the summer.
Chelsea could still pursue a deal for Guimaraes and De Jong separately, but with the Blues, Barcelona and Manchester United all involved, the stipulations and decisions could become intertwined with each other, creating havoc in the market.
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