Chelsea plotting Barcelona raid after reigniting interest in La Masia graduate

Soccer Football – UEFA Champions League – Atalanta v Chelsea – Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo, Italy – December 9, 2025 Chelsea's Joao Pedro celebrates scoring their first goal with Reece James REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo

Chelsea are keeping tabs on Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado. Chelsea previously tracked the player along with several of his Barcelona teammates, and the Blues are considering a firm approach this time around.

TeamTalk has reported Chelsea have held recent talks with Barcelona in regards to several of their players. After bidding for forward Fermin Lopez over the summer, Chelsea also enquired about Eric Garcia, Jules Kounde, and Ronald Araujo.

This was after Chelsea’s previous enquiry about Marc Casado and Marc Bernal. Chelsea scouts reportedly remain huge admirers of the La Masia-raised pair, and Casado specifically.

The Blue are considering submitting a firm bid to land the player, as they are in need of midfield reinforcements. Casado rose through the ranks at Barcelona, having graduated from the famed La Masia academy.

He has become a useful option for the club, making 15 appearances so far this season. Almost half of those have come from the bench however, as he battles for minutes with Pedri, Gavi, Frenkie De Jong, and Dani Olmo.

Chelsea believe the player can be persuaded to jump ship, and are considering midfield additions to their squad.

Chelsea have a healthy selection of midfielders themselves. Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez, and Moises Caicedo are first choice while Romeo Lavia and Andrey Santos deputize.

Injuries have seen Reece James and Mali Gusti become makeshift midfielders at times as well however, and Chelsea is now reportedly eyeing additional cover. Casado is seen as an ideal fit for manager Enzo Maresca’s style of play.

The 22-year-old is primarily a defensive midfielder but can operate anywhere in the centre of the park. He has also played as an emergency centre-half and right back on occasions.

West Ham United were also keen on the player over the summer but were unsuccessful in their approach. Barcelona remained adamant the player is not for sale, with manager Hansi Flick saying at the time that both the player and club are happy.

Nadji is a football writer with over 10 years of experience covering the Premier League. His work has been featured on Football Fancast, Arsenal-Mania, and Arsenal.com, where he has built a reputation for delivering sharp analysis, engaging storytelling, and in-depth coverage of the game.