Chelsea "willing to submit" £33m bid for Barcelona star to rival key starter

Chelsea chiefs are now prepared to make an offer to sign one Barcelona star this summer, who’d come in to provide direct competition or partner a key starter in Enzo Maresca’s starting eleven.

Chelsea preparing for London derby against Tottenham

On the field, Maresca’s side are preparing for a crunch London derby clash against Tottenham in the Premier League, with Chelsea firmly in the chase for Champions League qualification.

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The Italian has made his feelings clear to Stamford Bridge chiefs.

The Blues are set to be involved in an extremely tight race from now until the end of this campaign, with just five points separating fourth and tenth place in the division.

Every single point matters in the race for a place in Europe’s most prestigious competition, and Maresca is keen to see his side play a fast-paced brand of football against Tottenham, no matter who is fit and available.

“We want to be direct and quick when they press higher, but we cannot be direct and quick when they sit back,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s plan against Tottenham.

“Probably the last game at home, if you review Leicester, West Ham, Wolves, Southampton, if you have a reminder of that game, there are all games where 11 players were behind the ball, almost at the edge of the box.

“It’s impossible to attack quick. Now, against a team that press higher, you can attack more quick for sure. But it’s easier when you have players who are running behind, maybe the players you’ve had before in that period, they don’t really like running behind, they like balls to feet.

“For skills, for character, for sure when you have players that love to run behind more, it’s more easy.”

Unfortunately for Maresca, midfielder Romeo Lavia is a doubt for their game against Spurs, which has been the story for much of his time at Chelsea.

Reports suggest that Chelsea are keen to sign a new senior midfielder this summer, with Lavia consistently on the treatment table and Enzo Fernández attracting interest from Real Madrid.

Chelsea prepared to make £33m bid for Marc Casado

According to reports from Spain, Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado is a target for BlueCo, with the Spaniard apparently falling down Hansi Flick’s pecking order at the Camp Nou.

It is believed Chelsea are “willing to submit” up to £33m for Casado, but they’re not alone, as Arsenal have also adopted the same transfer stance over a player who they view as a long-term replacement for Thomas Partey.

Chelsea, meanwhile, see the 21-year-old as an ideal competitor or partner for Moises Caicedo in midfield, which could signal their plans not to reply on the consistently-injured Lavia.

“He’s an animal,” said Spain international teammate Bryan Zaragoza, after Casado made his first senior start for the national team against Switzerland last November.

“I don’t even know what to say about how he played. He’s barbaric.”