Chelsea wants Barca kids!

Last week, we heard from no less a luminary than Stuart Pearce, that Chelsea were stockpiling players, particularly young players. Therefore it will come as no surprise that Chelsea are eying up countless youngsters at Barça.

3 of the youngsters in question are Thiago Alcántara and his brother Rafa, as well as Gerard Deulofeu. 'El Mundo Deportivo` reports that one of Frank Arnesen`s right-hand men, Hans Gillhaus, met with the father of the Alcántara brothers last week. Also present was Chelsea`s scout in Spain, Juan Cruz Sol (an ex Valencia player). They met with Mazinho Alcántara in Madrid to talk about Thiago, currently playing in Barça`s B-team, Barca Atlètic, as well as Rafa Alcántara, who is in the Barça youngsters and who has been called up for the Spanish under-16 side (or at least the training session).

The conversation also talked about Gai Assulin, and Isreali striker at Barça, as well as the defender Marc Muniesa. Assulin has been a long-standing target of Chelsea. Another youngster, Gerard Deulofeu, was also discussed (he plays in the Barça B youngsters, as well as the under-16s)?

Deulofeu has also been eyed up by Liverpool in the past.

Apparently Chelsea have all but tied up the transfer of yet another Barça kid, this time by the name of Armando Ufarte, conveniently the son of the Spanish under-20 coach. We will be curious to learn about the bloke.

Barça have a great record in bringing up young players. As if Cesc Fabregas or Gerard Piqué aren`t prestigious enough, many of the Barça first team have come through the ranks (notably Xavi and Carles Puyol). Lionel Messi broke through the lower levels, and Bojan Krkic is now in the Barça first team. There was a fight between Spain and Serbia as to who would claim Krkic for their national side, Spain won that fight when Krkic became the youngest Spanish player in the full side last month. Of course, Giovanni Dos Santos was another Barça promise, the poor Catalans couldn`t hold onto the Mexican when Super Tottenham from the Lane came calling. Since then, Dos Santos has been absolutely instrumental in the North Londoner`s magnificent season. To think that Dos Santos was once linked to Chelsea.

Even for Chelsea, to be targeting so many youngsters seems strange, even if Barça have often complained that big clubs poach their players. After last year`s incoherent outburst from Stuart Pearce about Chelsea stockpiling youngsters and ruining their careers, no doubt Chelsea will be building a new cupboard to store away all these kids from Barça.