Chelsea have sent a bold substitution proposal to Barcelona and have already received a response from the Spanish champions.
The details of the sensational swap deal Chelsea proposed for Barcelona have now leaked out – and the Catalan giants’ reaction was immediate.
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Chelsea in summer reinforcements
After securing a Champions League spot and winning the Conference League in a matter of days, Chelsea have already set about strengthening their squad for next season.
The Blues defeated competition from several Premier League clubs to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich for £30 million, with the former Manchester City striker signing a six-year contract.
In addition, Chelsea have signed young Dario Essugo from Sporting CP for a transfer fee of £18.5 million, a deal that was announced last week.
Wild trade declined on the spot
According to Mundo Deportivo, Chelsea suggested swapping Christopher Nkunku for Barcelona’s Fermín López. Nkunku has fallen out of favor and is expected to leave the club this summer.
Barcelona have been linked with the French player, but the proposal was “flatly rejected” – according to the report, Hansi Flick, Joan Laporta and other decision-makers see López as a key player in the future.
López, who extended his contract until 2029 in October and scored in the league final against Espanyol, has confirmed that he wants to stay at Barcelona:
“I’m not thinking about leaving the club. I am very fond of Barça. It was my dream and of course I want to stay,” López said in an interview with Tu Diras de RAC1.
Chelsea are also chasing Nico Williams
According to Fabrizio Romano, Williams is a top priority for both Chelsea and Arsenal, who are both willing to pay big capital for the Athletic Club star.
Both López and Williams are currently focused on winning more silver with Spain’s national team, as they play the Nations League final against Portugal on Sunday.
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Chelsea are trying to be creative in the transfer market, but Barcelona don’t seem interested in letting go of López. Now it remains to be seen if they will be able to lure Williams instead – or if they will have to come up with some even wilder swap ideas.
