Barcelona hoping to sign Chelsea star who is yet to make Blues debut

Chelsea’s line up for their first match of the new season will likely look very different to the one that faced Newcastle United on the final day of last term. 

Since drawing 1-1 with the Magpies back in May, the Blues have allowed several first team stars to leave the club, including Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and Kai Havertz.

Cesar Azpilicueta, N’Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have also departed Stamford Bridge this summer, with owner Todd Boehly and manager Mauricio Pochettino overseeing a huge overhaul.

Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson have arrived in West London – from RB Leipzig and Villarreal respectively – but the Blues are likely to be in the market for more new signings before the window shuts.

In the meantime, though, it appears that Chelsea could face a battle to keep hold of one of their young stars.

As per The Mail, Barcelona are eyeing a move for midfielder Andrey Santos.

The 19-year-old joined the Blues from Brazilian side Vasco de Gama in January, before returning to his former club on loan in March.

Santos is yet to make his senior debut for Chelsea

Santos has now returned to Stamford Bridge, but the report claims that the La Liga champions are considering a move for the teenager as they look to replace Sergio Busquets.

Veteran central midfielder Busquets left Barcelona earlier this summer after 15 years in the first team at the Nou Camp.

It is claimed that representatives of Chelsea and Barcelona have discussed the possibility of a deal, while the player has also attracted interest from elsewhere.

Portuguese side Porto are believed to be interested in signing Santos on loan, although new Blues boss Pochettino is keen to assess the player in pre-season training before making a decision on his future.

Santos, who cost Chelsea around £18 million back in January, is contracted to the London side until the summer of 2030 having signed a seven-year contract when joining the club.

Earlier this year, Santos captained Brazil to victory at the under-20 South American Championships, before making his senior international debut against Morocco in March.