Chelsea interested in signing 21-year-old Barcelona loanee – Reports
Premier League giants Chelsea have shown interest in signing Barcelona's 21-year-old loanee Abde Ezzalzouli after a series of impressive performances by the Moroccan international, as per Barca Universal.
Ezzalzouli has been turning heads with his impressive performances for Osasuna this season, scoring one goal and providing two assists in 17 appearances. The 21-year-old winger also demonstrated his dribbling skills at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he helped Morocco reach the semifinals.
Coach Xavi Hernandez was reportedly impressed with Abde during the pre-season, but due to the arrival of Brazilian forward Raphinha, he had to sanction a loan deal with fellow Spanish side Osasuna. The Blaugranas did not include a buy option in the loan deal as they are well aware of the potential of the Moroccan youngster.
However, recent reports have revealed that Chelsea are interested in signing Abde this summer. The Premier League giants have been super-active in the past two transfer windows, spending over £600 million to land the best young talent to build a future-ready squad. The Blues will not shy away from spending big depending upon the uncertain situation of the Moroccan winger.
Ultimately, the decision on Abde's future rests with Barcelona. The Catalan club is likely to receive an offer for the young Moroccan, but whether or not they will agree to a permanent exit remains to be seen.
Barcelona's approach to the market will be interesting to follow in the coming months, as star player Ansu Fati has been linked with a departure, and the club has expressed interest in bringing in Atletico Madrid's Yannick Carrasco.
Former Barcelona forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to snub MLS move to fight for his place in the Chelsea squad
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has reportedly decided to stay put at Chelsea and fight for his place in the team, despite interest from top clubs such as his former club Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and AC Milan, as per the Daily Telegraph.
Despite a slow start to the season with only three goals and one assist in 18 appearances, the Gabonese striker remains confident in his abilities and believes he can still make an impact at Stamford Bridge.
Aubameyang's decision to stay will be welcome news for Chelsea fans, who hope to see the striker rediscover his scoring touch and help the team better their position in the league.
Aubameyang was rumored to be leaving the Premier League side to accept an MLS offer after discovering that Graham Potter would not start him in every game. Chelsea signed Joao Felix and Mykhailo Mudryk in the winter transfer window to boost their attacking capabilities.