Various sources have told ESPN that Barcelona are in advanced talks to sign Chelsea's Andreas Christensen and AC Milan's Franck Casey on free transfers when their respective contracts expire in the summer.
Sources say Barca are optimistic about closing a deal to bring in Christensen's Chelsea teammate Cesar Azpilicueta, who is also in the final few months of his deal at Stamford Bridge.
A deal with Christensen or Casey is yet to be sealed, but a source close to the talks has told ESPN that both players are expected to move to Camp Nou before next season to "save any late twists."
Talks with the pair have intensified since the close of the January transfer window, with Barca expected to finalize deals as soon as possible.
ESPN previously reported that Barca will target Christensen, Azpilicueta and Casey on free transfers to strengthen defense and midfield this summer to save money for a move to Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.
He first tried to sign Christensen on loan two years ago and has been closely monitoring his situation ever since he moved into the final year of his deal with Chelsea.
Premier League clubs have held talks with the centre-back's camp regarding the renewal but have been irritated by his approach to negotiations.
He thought he had an agreement, but Christensen refused to sign it, demanding better terms. Sources close to Chelsea now think it is highly likely that he will leave when his deal with Azpilicueta expires.
Christensen also has an offer from Bayern Munich, but sources have told ESPN that the player prefers Barca's offer, which also considered a move for Niklas Sule. However, the Catalan club focused its intentions on Christensen as his profile is more complementary to that of Ronald Araujo, which paved the way for Sule to agree a summer move from Bayern to Borussia Dortmund.
Christensen, 25, has been at Chelsea for 10 years. He spent those two years on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach, but has been part of the first-team setup at Stamford Bridge since 2017, making 153 appearances for the club.
Meanwhile, ESPN first revealed in November that Barca wanted Spain defender Azpliqueta, 32, and sources say the club are confident of bringing him in.
The issue is not as straightforward as it could be as Chelsea could execute a clause to extend his contract, but Barca believe Chelsea are willing to leave after 10 years of loyal service. Will not stand in the way of the player.
Casey, 25, is in a similar position at Milan, with his contract expiring in June, and the Italian club's technical director Paolo Maldini has confirmed there is no agreement for him to be renewed.
Asked about Barca's interest, Maldini said: "It's normal [because] their contract is expiring and we don't have an agreement yet." "The trend is what the club has decided, we will not deviate from it at all."
Sources have explained to ESPN that the final stages of the talks are focused on commissions Barca will pay to middlemen and agents involved in the deal. Casey's agent, Jorge Atangana, first needed to be registered on the [RFEF] database of the Spanish Football Association in order to earn any money as part of the transfer.
The Ivory Coast midfielder has been in Milan since 2017, when he initially joined on loan from Atalanta, and has made over 200 appearances for the Serie A side.
Barca have options in midfield, with Pedri, Gavi and Nico Gonzalez all breaking up over the past 18 months with Sergio Busquets and Frankie de Jong but looking to add more depth and competition in the summer.