Chelsea have offered Barcelona the chance to sign defender Jorrel Hato in a swap deal involving midfielder Fermín López
Chelsea has reportedly put defender Jorrel Hato on the table in a swap deal proposal to Barcelona as they look to secure midfielder Fermin Lopez.
After dropping to fifth in the Premier League following Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa, speculation is growing that Chelsea will pursue reinforcements to bolster Enzo Maresca’s squad in January.
The Blues initially targeted Fermin during the summer transfer window as they sought to strengthen their midfield, though Dario Essugo ended up being their only acquisition in that department.
Now Chelsea is reviving its interest in the Barcelona midfielder ahead of the upcoming transfer windows, with Spanish sources claiming the club has offered the Catalan giants a player-exchange deal to facilitate the move.
While Chelsea remains keen on landing the promising youngster, Barcelona would demand a significant fee before even considering selling their Spanish international.
With Barcelona’s valuation potentially reaching £80 million, Chelsea is exploring the option of including a player in the package to make the deal more attractive.
Summer signing Hato has emerged as Chelsea’s proposed sweetener, particularly as the Dutch defender has struggled for game time since arriving at Stamford Bridge under Maresca.
According to reports, owner Todd Boehly recognizes that Barcelona is actively searching for a new left-back and believes the promising defender—who was already on sporting director Deco’s wish list—could appeal to the Spanish club.
Meanwhile, former Premier League striker Alan Shearer believes Chelsea needs three key additions when the January transfer window opens.
“They’re lacking a world-class number nine and an elite center-back,” Shearer said on The Rest Is Football podcast.
“Maybe even a goalkeeper too… I’ve never been fully convinced that Chelsea has what it takes to win the league.
“I’m not saying Joao Pedro and Liam Delap aren’t capable players, but to reach that elite level and genuinely compete for the Premier League title, I think they’d need a top-class striker and center-back.”
Gary Lineker offered his perspective on Chelsea’s fluctuating fortunes: “It’s remarkable how quickly things change in football—just a few weeks ago we were all raving about Chelsea’s outstanding tactical performance against Barcelona.
“Now there’s a noticeable shift in fan sentiment, at least judging by social media reactions.
“They’re struggling to find consistency. The striker situation still hasn’t been properly resolved.
“Liam Delap has been plagued by injuries this season and hasn’t had a proper run of games. And frankly, I don’t think Joao Pedro is truly a natural number nine.”
