Barcelona are eyeing up a move for Chelsea ace Andreas Christensen in their pursuit of a new central defender, according to a report.

The 21-year-old has received plenty of praise from boss Antonio Conte since breaking into Blues' first team, following a two-year loan spell in the Bundesliga.

Conte admitted to being 'surprised' by the pace of the Dane's development, having ousted David Luiz to become a regular in the heart of defence over the past couple of months.

Chelsea may face competition to keep Christensen at Stamford Bridge, though, as The Mirror claims that the defender's performances have not gone unnoticed in Catalonia.

Barca have long held an interest in the Blues' academy product, and the report suggests that the Premier League side are now in a race against time to offer him a new contract before a concrete offer is made by a rival club.