Former Barcelona chief Ramon Planes has revealed he tried to sign Andreas Christensen from Chelsea three years ago, with the player set to join this summer instead.
The Danish centre-back is available on a free transfer, with his current deal at Stamford Bridge set to expire and him having decided not to renew.
He is instead set to move to Barcelona, who have been chasing his signature for several months as part of their rebuild under Xavi.
They’ve already struck a deal with the player for him to make the move, with it now considered a given despite the fact it has not been officially announced as yet.
The move to Spain will be a new experience for the 26-year-old, who has been with Chelsea since signing for their U18 side from Brondby in 2012.
He’s since worked his way up through the youth ranks and enjoyed a loan spell with Borussia Monchengladbach between 2015 and 2017 before establishing himself as a first-team player in London.
His performances have now earned him the move to Barcelona, although according to Planes, that could have happened much sooner.
“Christensen is a good centre-back,” he told Catalunya Radio, relayed by AS.
“In fact, I know that three years ago, we met with his agents when he didn’t play much at Chelsea.
“And he fitted into the war economy. We met with his father, with the player and with the CEO of Chelsea.”
