According to Diario Sport, Contacts have intensified on Thursday to try and find a mutually beneficial deal with Barcelona keen to spend less than €10m on Alonso.

A deal has already been agreed with Alonso for the next three seasons and it’s understood the Spanish defender doesn’t want to report for duty to Chelsea’s pre-season camp, which begins next week.

Alonso is now all but set to become Barcelona’s third signing of the summer transfer window after Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen.

Recall that Barcelona had signed Christensen from Chelsea and Kessie from AC Milan.

Meanwhile, Arsenal on Thursday confirmed that Henry Jeffcott gas signed his first professional contract with the club.

Arsenal disclosed this in a statement via its website

The statement read in part, “Henry Jeffcott has signed his first professional contract with the club.

“The 18-year-old left-back joined our academy from Chelsea aged twelve, where he started as a midfielder.”

Speaking after signing the new deal, Henry told Arsenal media: “It feels absolutely surreal.

“I’ve been working for this for so many years and to sign today with my family just feels amazing.”