30-year-old defender wants Barcelona move, informs club president

Xavi Hernandez may have agreed a deal for centre-back Andreas Christensen to join from Chelsea this summer. The Spanish coach is keen to bring in yet another experienced centre-back to replace Gerard Pique, who has struggled with injuries in recent campaigns.

Barcelona were linked with Sevilla's Jules Kounde, but his €80 million valuation, and interest from Chelsea have seen them turn their attention to other targets. Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly remains a top target, and will be available for a far more reasonable price.

Koulibaly has been a mainstay in the Napoli backline for a number of seasons, and has previously attracted interest from a number of top clubs across Europe. The Serie A side were able to thwart off suitors with a hefty price tag, but with one-year remaining on his current deal, they are likely to settle for a bargain deal.

According to Calcio Napoli, Koulibaly has boosted Barcelona's chances of landing him this summer. The Senegal captain has informed Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis of his desire to leave this summer, as he has no intention of signing an extension.

Napoli will not want to lose him on a free transfer next year, and are likely to accept offers for their star defender. The Senegalese defender is already said to have agreed personal terms with Barcelona, and is now only awaiting an official offer from the Catalan giants.

Moreover, as per Spanish outlet Sport, Koulibaly is keen to expedite his departure from Naples, as he wants to conclude the move prior to the start of pre-season. He is keen to embed himself within Xavi's squad for the new season rather than drag his move late into the summer.

Koulibaly, however, will have to wait for Barcelona to sort out their financial issues before they can make an official offer. The La Liga outfit have to first offload a number of players to make room on their wage bill. Furthermore, Xavi also has other priority targets going into the summer transfer window.

Robert Lewandowski remains Barcelona's top priority at the moment, and only after they sign the Poland international will they shift their attention to other targets. The defence is high on Xavi's priorities, but the arrival of Christensen could see them wait until later in the summer to make a move for a new centre-back.