Barcelona emerge as contenders to beat Chelsea to Serie A hotshot

Barcelona have joined Chelsea in the race to sign rising star Krzysztof Piatek from Genoa, according to reports.
Piatek has been a revelation in Serie A this year, scoring eight goals in six games so far. He also added four goals in a single Coppa Italia match as Genoa beat Lecce in the third round.
Gazzetta Dello Sport report that Barcelona are now monitoring the 23-year-old, who only joined Genoa from Polish side Cracovia this summer. The La Liga giants have sent scouts to watch the striker and are keen to explore the possibility of signing him.
However, Chelsea remain the favourites to land the one-cap Poland international, with Maurizio Sarri looking to improve his attacking options. Reports indicate that the Blues have already made contact with the player’s representatives to confirm their interest.
It could take up to €35m to prise Piatek away from Genoa, with his stock having risen significantly thanks to his goalscoring exploits.
Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham are also among the clubs monitoring his development, while they will also face competition from several big Italian clubs.
Piatek’s credentials to play at the top level will be tested over the next few games; Genoa’s next five fixtures include games against Juventus and both Milan clubs.