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Chelsea leading race to sign Barcelona ace as agent confirms transfer talks
Xavier Mbuyamba is contemplating leaving Barcelona less than a year after joining the Spanish champions.
Xavier Mbuyamba trains with the Barcelona first team
Chelsea are leading the race to sign Barcelona's Xavier Mbuyamba, the youngster's agent Carlos Barros has revealed. Mbuyamba joined the Spanish champions last August from Dutch side MVW Maastricht.
The 18-year-old defender, however, is already considering leaving the Nou Camp due to uncertainty over his future.
According to the Mbuyamba's agent Carlos Barros, several teams in Europe are interested in acquiring his services.
Chelsea, however, are at the front of the queue to land the Netherlands Under-19 international after impressing him in the talks they held last summer.
"Almost all major clubs in Europe have asked about Xavier," Barros told Voetbal International.
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Chelsea have the best papers. Of course, we discussed this extensively last year.
"Real Madrid are also there, they are serious about their youth system, but that would, of course, be a sensitive switch.
"Juventus and Inter are interested, as are top clubs from Germany and England.
"Chelsea have the best papers. Of course, we discussed this extensively last year.
"Chelsea gave a fantastic presentation. There is a unique football atmosphere there.
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"You immediately sit with the first-team players during lunch and the club has outlined a very ambitious plan for Xavier.
"They really think that in one to two years, he can be in the first team. Frank Lampard has of course already proven that he is not afraid to play with young players. Being in the starting line-up at Chelsea at the age of twenty would, of course, be great."
According to Barros, a return to the Netherlands could also be on the cards for Mbuyamba.
He added: "Ajax are actually the only club in the Netherlands that can compete financially against those top clubs, but you don't just play there immediately, a switch from Barca B to the Ajax reserves is not an option for Xavier.
"In that respect, AZ is a more logical choice, they are the most concrete in the Netherlands. FC Utrecht has a partnership with Barcelona and could also be an option. In that case it would be a loan move."
Mbuyamba's decision to contemplate leaving Barcelona stems from the uncertainty at the club and their reported eagerness to loan out the highly-touted Ansu Fati next season.
“The ambiguity is enormous,” Barros said. “A new presidential election is coming and it could be that many new people will join the board. Politically it is very restless and in a sporting sense there is a lot of division.
"If you see that even Ansu Fati can be loaned out… How can you break through as a talent?”