Chelsea chased one of Europe’s best young centre backs with €10m release clause last summer

Pau Cubarsi has had one of the most impressive breakout seasons in Europe, bursting into Xavi’s Barcelona side since Christmas and looking incredibly developed and composed for a 17 year old. He’s now off with the senior Spain squad for the first time, having won a man of the match award for his efforts in the Champions League last week.

Mundo Deportivo in Spain are reporting that Chelsea had a strong interest in him, and even tried to lure him to join us last summer. We are apparently “still open” to signing him now, but that will be a whole different task now given his explosion on the scene. His transfer value will have exploded in the time since his debut, and he has a much clearer path to first team action there than here.

There is always a chance however, thanks to Barcelona’s financial issues. Until they persuade him to sign a new contract, his release clause remains fixed at around €10m.

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