Barcelona consider move for ex-Chelsea defender

Barcelona are reportedly weighing up a January move for former Chelsea and current Zenit St Petersburg defender Branislav Ivanovic.

The Spanish champions currently find themselves in an injury crisis with both Samuel Umtiti and Thomas Vermaelen out for extended spells and this leaves Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet as the only viable options at the heart of the defence.

As a result, the Spanish champions have been linked with Tottenham Hotspur's Toby Alderweireld and Ajax's Matthijs de Ligt of late but according to Mundo Deportivo, the Blaugrana are said to view Ivanovic as a more realistic option.

Ivanovic made nearly 400 appearances for Chelsea between 2008 and 2017 before heading to Zenit but he could be available for a cut-price fee at the turn of the year with his contract expiring at the end of the season.

The 34-year-old, who can ply his trade at either centre-back or right-back, has already made 16 appearances for Zenit since the start of the current campaign.