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Chelsea trio 'among six players lined up by Barcelona'

Chelsea trio 'among six players lined up by Barcelona'
© Reuters
Barcelona reportedly line up six players as part of a major squad rebuild next year, including three Chelsea defenders and a Manchester United attacker.

Barcelona have reportedly earmarked as many as six players to sign as part of a major squad rebuild at the end of this season.

The Spanish giants have been plunged into financial insecurity over the past year, losing Lionel Messi as they were unable to afford to keep him and also being limited to free signings during the summer.

New president Joan Laporta has insisted that he will look to strengthen his side in January following their early exit from the Champions League, having crashed out in the group stages for the first time in more than two decades.

However, Barcelona will be forced to sell before they can buy, with the likes of Frenkie de Jong, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Sergino Dest, Samuel Umtiti and Philippe Coutinho all understood to be available for transfer.

Laporta is also looking to eventually phase out the longer-serving members of the squad such as Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba.

Even then, Barcelona's strategy for incomings could rely on free signings, and The Mirror reports that Catalan outfit have identified six players who could join for nothing in the near future.

Among those are Chelsea's defensive trio Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta, although Rudiger is deemed the most unlikely of those due to the lucrative offers he is expected to receive elsewhere.

Former Barca youngster Andre Onana is another player on their radar to replace Ter Stegen in goal, while Manchester United's Anthony Martial is also on the shortlist following his admission that he is keen to leave Old Trafford.

Martial could be available on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy, although Man United's asking price for the Frenchman could put him out of Barcelona's reach.

Barca are also thought to be considering a move for Real Sociedad midfielder and former Manchester United man Adnan Januzaj, who is another player out of contract next summer.

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Joan Laporta pictured before the Barcelona presidential election on March 7, 2021
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City21172253134053
2Chelsea21127245162943
3Liverpool20126252183442
4Arsenal2011273325835
5West Ham UnitedWest Ham20104637271034
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1810352320333
7Manchester UnitedMan Utd199463027331
8Wolverhampton WanderersWolves198471414028
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton196942020027
10Leicester CityLeicester187473133-225
11Crystal Palace205872930-123
12Brentford196582326-323
13Aston Villa1971112530-522
14Southampton194962029-921
15Everton185492332-919
16Leeds UnitedLeeds194782137-1619
17Watford1841132236-1413
18Burnley171881627-1111
19Newcastle UnitedNewcastle1918101942-2311
20Norwich CityNorwich192413842-3410

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