N'Golo Kante and Jorginho are said to be rubbing shoulders with Lionel Messi ahead of the summer transfer window. The Chelsea duo are both set to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season once their deals expire.
And, according to the Evening Standard, Barcelona are lining up moves for the two midfielders. Kante and Jorginho, who are valued at a combined £34.8million by CIES Football Observatory, will each be eligible to begin pre-contract talks with foreign clubs in January to complete a free transfer in the summer.
However, the Spanish giants have shown no sign of slowing down and are aiming for the stars. In addition to Kante and Jorginho, Barcelona have shortlisted eight players who are set to become free agents in the summer that they will look to sign, according to Mundo Deportivo.
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The report states that Messi is at the ‘top of the list’, ahead of the Blues pair. The 35-year-old abruptly left the Camp Nou last year after he and the club failed to come to an agreement on a new deal amid looming financial fair play restrictions.
Barcelona may have to pull out all the stops in order to land Kante and Jorginho. The former has been heavily linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain for some time as the Frenchman's growing injury record casts doubt over his future at Chelsea.
Meanwhile, with regard to Jorginho, he's set to prioritise a long-term future at Stamford Bridge. The Italy international's agent - Joao Santos - has clarified that his client is focused on penning a new deal at Chelsea, despite reports.
Speaking to Tuttomercatoweb, Santos said: "We are due in June. We prioritise Chelsea and we are moving towards it. Another priority for Jorginho is to do well with the national team."
Santos was spotted in Barcelona earlier this year, fuelling speculation that a move to the Camp Nou would be on the cards. Prior to the Spanish giants' interest, Jorginho was heavily linked with a move to Juventus. But, a move failed to materialise and Chelsea have since counted their lucky stars amid the recent waves of injuries.
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