Barcelona hope to thrash out a deal for Marcos Alonso by Monday at the latest.
But the Catalan giants’ move for the Chelsea defender is being complicated by the Blues’ interest in Sergino Dest. American full-back Dest, 21, still has three more years to run on his deal at the Nou Camp but he has been told he can leave this summer as he is not part of boss Xavis’s plans.
The initial plan from Barcelona was to try to push his sale back until as late in the transfer window as possible in a bid to drive up his price to as close to £17million as they could.
