Chelsea want Barcelona wonderkid, things to know about him

Bengaluru, June 2: If reports in Spain are to be believed, Chelsea are looking to lure Barcelona wonderkid Xavier Mbuyamba away from the Catalan club in the summer on a free transfer.

Although the 18-year-old is highly rated by the Barcelona top brass, there is hardly any room for the wonderkid in the first team of the Blaugrana. The Catalan giants have offered the youngster a chance to feature in their B team but the young Dutchman is reportedly looking to make his mark at the top level and Chelsea are set to offer him that opportunity.

Here, we will take a close look at the highly-rated defender who looks like the next big thing.

Dubbed as the 'next Virgil van Dijk'

With his countryman Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool currently regarded as the best defender in the world right now, it is no surprise that young elegant defender has been likened to the Dutch skipper. The 18-year-old is a centimetre taller than van Dijk basting a massive frame of 196 centimetres. Mbuyamba is exceptionally quick and is confident on the ball just like van Dijk.

Also, the youngster has an eye for a pass and can pick out his teammates from 40 or 50 yards. Another excellent trait of the youngster is that he is adept with both feet and can slot in on either side of the defence. Also, the sheer pace and the athleticism allows the teenager to do a decent job at either right or left-back.

Wanted across Europe

After his debut season with MVV Maastricht in the Netherlands, the 18-year-old was wanted by a host of clubs in Europe but it was eventually Barcelona who snapped him up in 2019.

However, interest in him from around Europe has not died down as the teenager still remains wanted by the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Bayern, Real Madrid, Ajax, AZ Alkmaar and Spurs. We have to wait and see where the Dutch prodigy ends up but where ever he does, he looks like a player destined for greatness.

Is Chelsea the right club for him?

Well, if we look at the impact Frank Lampard had at Chelsea since he joined, it would be pretty evident that young players would be more than happy to link up with the 41-year-old. The Blues do have a number of options at the back and some good young prospects but Mbuyamba is still likely to get his opportunity to shine at Stamford Bridge with Lampard in charge.

For young players, there is hardly anyone as attractive as a manager as Lampard at the moment. The likes of Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori, Reece James, Tammy Abraham are all examples of the former English midfielder's immense faith and belief in his young brigade.