Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo have taken claims seriously from The Sun of Barcelona interest in Andreas Christensen. Indeed, they’re happy to sound convinced about the plausibility, because, as they of course point out, it was they who reproted the idea first… in March.
However, it must be noted that around that time, Mundo Deportivo and the other Barcelona leaning newspaper, Sport, were linking every conceivable defender with a possible summer move to Barcelona. Therefore, they were always going to be right on the one who joined, given they’d named everyone, and would be able to say in the future they were first linking others.
A January transfer would be pretty much ruled out, given Borussia Monchengladbach would have to agree, and they wouldn’t. The only way they may be convinced, and even this could be difficult, is via compensation. Given The Sun put the possible price at £20m, Chelsea giving a chunk to Gladbach would leave them with a paltry amount for a young defender so good he’s on Tuttosport’s list for the Golden Boy award.
That sounds like it should have killed the story dead, but not for Mundo Deportivo who say Antonio Conte would prefer a big signing like Leonardo Bonucci, which is also unlikely to happen, and Christensen could then move to Barcelona to eventually become Gerard Pique’s heir.
Bonucci couldn’t be more Italian if he painted himself red, white and green and walked around humming Inno di Mameli constantly (which perhaps he does). Chelsea will require miracles to get a deal done, but right now that’s beside the point.
Pique is just 29 years of age, and in some of his best form, there’s surely no way Christensen would consider moving to Barcelona to spend the next few years watching the Spanish international from the bench.
Mundo Deportivo may well sound convinced there could be something in this, if only to make their earlier claim seem stronger, but we’re most definitely not.
