Report: Chelsea keen on signing 18-year-old ex-Barcelona starlet

Chelsea intent on signing Xavier Mbuyamba

According to a report from ESPN, Chelsea are one among a string of Premier League clubs chasing the transfer of Xavier Mbuyamba.

Mbuyamba started out at the MVV Maastricht academy in his native Netherlands. After having made 11 first-team appearances for the club, the centre-back made the switch to Barcelona last summer.

However, the youngster did not get enough opportunities with the Barcelona B team during the 2019/20 campaign. In fact, he ended the season with just three appearances for the U19s, which came in the UEFA Youth League.

Having been left disappointed with the lack of opportunities, Mbuyamba has terminated his contract with Barcelona and is a free agent now. This has alerted a number of clubs in England, with Chelsea also keen on signing the young defender. (h/t ESPN)

Prior to joining the Catalans, Mbuyamba had had a trial with Chelsea. And the Blues have been keeping tabs on him ever since. With him now being unattached, the club is now lining up to sign him on a free transfer. (h/t ESPN)

Standing at 6ft 5in despite being just 18 years old, Mbuyamba has shown immense potential in his burgeoning career. So muc so that, he has been likened to compatriot and Liverpool’s defensive stalwart Virgil van Dijk.

More Chelsea News

• Danilo Pantic and Jacob Maddox leave Stamford Bridge
• West Ham United want at least £80million for Chelsea target Declan Rice
• Emerson Palmieri closes in on Inter Milan switch

Frank Lampard, in his first season in charge at Chelsea, has shown that he is prepared to back youngsters with promise. The likes of Reece James, Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount and Billy Gilmour have all benefited greatly from the manager’s faith.

Considering how highly rated Mbuyamba is, signing him would be a good move for us, more so considering that he will be available on a free transfer.