It would not be a mistake to let Adrien Rabiot leave Paris Saint-Germain, says club captain Thiago Silva.
The France midfielder is expected to run down his contract and join Barcelona this summer.
It is believed Premier League clubs Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have also expressed an interest in the 23-year-old.
Rabiot, who is training away from the first-team after reportedly telling club chiefs he won’t sign a new deal, has been a regular starter for PSG over the past three seasons.
And Silva, 34, appears to have accepted Rabiot’s impending departure from the Parc des Princes.
He told French outlet Telefoot: “I am not saying it is a mistake.
“I think Adrien and PSG have both decided. It is a shame as he is a good boy, but he has chosen and we must respect it.
“Now we need a new midfielder as I think it is over with Adrien.”
Stamford Bridge boss Maurizio Sarri is said to be keen to add another midfielder to his squad following the departure of Cesc Fabregas, though he admits he leaves that side of the business to others.
Jorginho has been a regular this season, but his boss said he is showing signs of tiredness.
“Jorginho played with me for four seasons, so it’s very difficult for him to improve more,” Sarri said. “He played very well for 20 matches. He’s the player in the Premier League that touched the highest number of balls, I think.
“Maybe in the last two matches he was a bit tired. He moved the ball a bit more slowly than before but I think that’s normal.
“You cannot stay at the top for 60 matches, so it’s normal to have a difficult period, when you are not the same as usual. It’s not a big problem but that’s the reason I said we need a replacement for Cesc [Fabregas].”