Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City all chasing Barcelona teenager Pau Cubarsi
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have all registered an interest in Cubarsi ahead of the summer transfer window, according to multiple reports in Spain and England. Bayern Munich are also keeping tabs on the Spanish international, who has established himself as one of Barcelona's most important defenders this season.
Why the interest?
All three Premier League clubs have defensive needs. Chelsea want a long-term partner for Levi Colwill and expect to sell Axel Disasi. Manchester City face uncertainty with John Stones entering the final three months of his contract and Nathan Ake likely to leave. Arsenal, though better stocked at centre-back, continue to look for young talent who can develop over multiple seasons.
Cubarsi fits the profile all three clubs are chasing. Born in January 2007, he made his senior Spain debut in March 2024 and won Olympic gold with the under-23 side in Paris. He is comfortable building from the back, reads the game well for his age, and has already shown he can handle the pressure of Champions League knockout football.
Barcelona have no intention of selling
Despite the wave of interest, Barcelona have made their position clear. Cubarsi signed an extension in February 2025 that runs until 2029, and his release clause was bumped to 500 million euros. The club views him as a future captain and has had no contact, formal or otherwise, with any of the interested parties.
Manchester City have reportedly been the most creative in their pursuit, with sources in Spain suggesting a player-plus-cash proposal. That still appears to be speculative rather than anything concrete, and Barcelona have shown no willingness to entertain offers at any price below the clause.
Summer move remains a long shot
The reality is that unless Cubarsi himself forces a move or Barcelona suffer a dramatic financial downturn, none of the three Premier League clubs will get their man this summer. At 19, he has years ahead of him in Catalonia, and Barca's willingness to hand him a long-term contract with a massive release clause tells you exactly how highly they rate him.
Still, the interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and City says something about the direction all three squads are heading. They want young, technically gifted defenders who can play out from the back, and right now Cubarsi is the gold standard for that profile in European football.
