Zidane rejected Willian

The striker has been a key player at Chelsea for a few seasons now. Although Barcelona reportedly made an offer for the Brazilian in the past, the English club declined and Willian stayed at Chelsea for another season. 

His market value is high, although at 31 years old, the decline has begun. His contract runs until the end of the season, which means that, unless a contract renovation is set up, he could leave for free next summer. 

And that's where the two interested clubs - Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona - come into play. 'The Sun' claims that Zidane first rejected the option of signing Willian because he first wants to deal with Gareth Bale's situation. The Welshman is backed by his coach, but his frequent controversy and bad relationship with fans and teammates mean he will probably be leaving sooner than later. 

This would mean that Barcelona has a clear competition-free path for acquiring Willian. All that remains to be seen is whether they will wait for his contract to end or make an offer in the winter transfer market.