Chelsea have reportedly identified an Atletico Madrid midfielder as a potential transfer target.
Having been able to heavily reduce his first-team numbers at Stamford Bridge, head coach Enzo Maresca is relatively happy with the players at his disposal.
The Blues have responded by delivering results that have put them in fourth place in the Premier League table, while the backup members have impressed sufficiently enough in the Conference League.
As it stands, the likes of Cesare Casadei and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are regarded as players who will have the platform to impress in Europe, yet remain far away from a start in the Premier League.
That effectively leaves Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Enzo Fernandez competing for two places in the Chelsea engine room between now and the January window.
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Who may Chelsea look to sign?
Reports have indicated that Fernandez may start to attract interest from a number of European clubs if he does not regain his place in the first XI for top-flight fixtures.
Should an exit become a realistic possibility, it would come as no surprise if Chelsea entered the market for a suitable alternative.
According to Fichajes, Atletico midfielder Pablo Barrios has emerged as a potential addition to Chelsea's contingent for the centre of the pitch.
Having come through the academy setup at the club, the 21-year-old has gone on to make a total of 68 appearances in all competitions.
Six starts have been made in this season's La Liga, his one assist coming in the 2-2 draw at Villarreal during the early stages of the campaign.
The report suggests that Chelsea may be prepared to pay as much as €50m (£41.9m) for Barrios during one of the upcoming transfer windows.
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How may Atletico react?
These two clubs are no strangers to each other with Conor Gallagher and Joao Felix having moved in opposite directions during the summer.
Nevertheless, it was widely claimed that there is now a frosty relationship between the relevant parties courtesy of Samu Omorodion's failed transfer to London.
That said, Atletico may not be in a position to turn down that level of money for a player who would generate pure profit in the eyes of the financial regulations.
Chelsea could choose to monitor the situation for the remainder of the season before deciding on whether to move for the Spain Under-21 international.
Darren Plant
