Mundo Deportivo: Chelsea Plan €100 Million January Move for Barrios to Fill Enzo Void

According to Mundo Deportivo, Chelsea plan to make a strong push to sign Atletico Madrid star Pablo Barrios in January, with Xabi Alonso believing he is the ideal replacement for Enzo Fernandez.

Mundo Deportivo reported that Enzo left in the final stages of the transfer window, and Chelsea's failure to sign Monaco star Lamine Camara has left a major void in their midfield.

Monaco refused to let the Senegalese midfielder leave at the last moment, leaving Chelsea in a difficult position and without an alternative option.

The London club had originally agreed to Enzo's transfer to Manchester City, and Chelsea believe reversing the agreement at the final moment was unethical.

Chelsea will now attempt to fill the gap left by Enzo's departure in the January window. Reports from England indicate that the club's top midfield target is Pablo Barrios, and Chelsea are prepared to make a €100 million offer for him.

The potential problem for the English club is that the 23-year-old Spanish midfielder is a key part of Simeone's midfield, and Atletico Madrid appear unlikely to let Barrios leave easily.

Barrios has a release clause of up to €500 million. Last season was the year in which he completed his development and established his status, but a hamstring injury caused him to miss the final stage of the season and subsequently ruled him out of the World Cup.

Alonso believes the Atletico midfielder has everything needed to succeed at Stamford Bridge. He also believes Barrios combines physical strength and creativity, making him an ideal midfield partner for Caicedo.