Marcos Alonso 'to sign new two-year Barcelona contract'

Marcos Alonso is reportedly close to coming to an agreement with Barcelona over a new two-year deal.

The 31-year-old made the move to Camp Nou from Chelsea over the summer, with the Blues allowing him to join the Catalan giants on a free transfer.

Alonso has made 12 appearances for Barcelona during the 2022-23 campaign, and he has been used as a central defender on a number of occasions due to the team's injury problems in that area of the field.

The Spain international only signed a one-year deal with the Catalan outfit last summer, with the club's financial problems preventing them from placing a longer contract on the table.

However, according to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are now in advanced discussions with the versatile defender over a two-year extension.

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The report claims that Alonso's ability to fill in as a centre-back has made him a favourite of Barcelona boss Xavi, who is of the opinion that the Spaniard is a hugely important member of the squad.

The defender started his professional career with Real Madrid, having come through the youth system at Bernabeu, but he only made one first-team appearance for Los Blancos before moving on.

Alonso then represented Bolton Wanderers between 2010 and 2013 before a switch to Fiorentina, representing the Italian outfit for three years before making the move to Chelsea.

The Spaniard played 212 times for the Blues during a successful spell, contributing 29 goals and 23 assists in the process.

Alonso has made seven La Liga appearances for Barcelona this season, while he featured in five of their six matches in the group stage of the Champions League.

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Meanwhile, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has insisted that the club have no plans to sell either Franck Kessie or Hector Bellerin in January despite the recent speculation.

"We are now convinced that Kessie and Bellerin have more prominence in this second part of the season," he told reporters.

Kessie has struggled to make his mark since arriving from AC Milan last summer, managing just one goal in 13 appearances in all competitions.

Bellerin, meanwhile, has made five appearances for Barcelona since arriving from Arsenal, and the 27-year-old only has a contract at the club until the end of the season.

Xavi's side will resume their domestic campaign against Catalan rivals Espanyol on December 31.