Barcelona are lining up a sensational move for Chelsea playmaker Juan Mata, with Alexis Sanchez set to be used as bait.
Mata has stood head and shoulders above the rest of the Chelsea players ever since making a move from Valencia in the summer of 2011.
The Spaniard again had an outstanding season this year, and has proven to be the catalyst to Chelsea's success on most occasions.
Impressed by the form shown by the Spanish international, Barcelona are looking at the possibility of making a move for Mata by offering £17 million ($25.5 million) and Alexis Sanchez, according to a report in El Economista.
The reports suggests incoming manager Jose Mourinho does not prefer Mata in the playmaking role and has identified other targets. which has been claimed by AS.
Barcelona, apparently, aware of the situation is ready to make a move and hope Sanchez can be the difference maker in the deal.
There are several problems with this move going through, though. First one being, why would Mourinho not prefer Mata when he takes over at Chelsea next month?
The 25-year-old has been one of the best players in the Premier League, and can play across the forward line, although his best position is right behind the striker.
The other problem would be that Chelsea are not a selling club by any stretch of the imagination and do not need to sell any of their big players to create funds for new recruits, even with the financial fairplay rules coming into effect.
The quoted price also seems a little low, since Sanchez is reportedly available for a transfer fee of about £15-20 million ($22.5-30 million).
Even if Chelsea were to even consider selling, it would take an exorbitant amount; something that is unlikely to come from Barcelona, with the Catalans having already spent so much to bring in Neymar from Santos.
Real Madrid, the club where Mata began his career as a youth, have also been linked with a move for Mata in the past, and it can be argued that the Madrid club are in more of a need for someone like Mata rather than Barcelona.
Either ways, the move is unlikely to happen with Chelsea looking to build their team around the talents of Mata.
If this move pans out, it will be one of the more surprising transfers of the summer, and the only way Mata seems likely to leave the Blues would be if the player himself asks for a move away, which is unlikely with the Spaniard repeatedly expressing his happiness at Stamford Bridge.
