Barcelona are reportedly set to be rebuffed in their pursuit of Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso, with Thomas Tuchel keen on retaining the Spaniard.
According to a report from Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are gearing up to face disappointment in their pursuit of Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso as the Blues’ boss Thomas Tuchel has no intention of letting the Spanish left-back leave.
Alonso has been with Chelsea for almost five years now, having arrived as a deadline day signing from Fiorentina in the summer of 2016. The 30-year-old enjoyed a couple of fruitful seasons at Stamford Bridge but has been in and out of the side over the past few campaigns. The first half of the 2020/21 term saw the Spaniard completely frozen out of the squad by former manager Frank Lampard due to a falling out between the pair.
However, Alonso got a new lease of life once Thomas Tuchel took over the reins from Lampard in January, with the former Real Madrid trainee getting reintegrated into the first-team at Stamford Bridge. And while he still ended up behind last summer signing Ben Chilwell in the pecking order, the 30-year-old still added some value to the side and put up some good displays.
Nonetheless, given his situation, Barcelona are keen on signing Alonso this summer. The Catalans’ interest in the former Fiorentina defender is nothing new, with the club having reached an agreement to bring him on loan during the January transfer window. However, a move collapsed as Barca were not able to ship off Junior Firpo.
However, Firpo is expected to be on his way out this summer, with a move to Premier League club Leeds United believed to be on the verge of completion. Should that transfer go through without any hiccups, Barcelona will be without any natural backup for senior left-back Jordi Alba, who himself is entering the final phase of his career and needs his minutes managed.
So, Barcelona’s interest in signing Alonso makes a lot of sense. However, it seems like the Blaugrana might not be getting their man this summer as Tuchel is intent on holding onto the 30-year-old beyond the summer. The German tactician sees a lot of value in Alonso as he can provide options at left wing-back as well as play as a left-sided centre-back in a back-three formation that Tuchel currently uses at Chelsea.
Furthermore, with doubts over the future of Emerson Palmieri, selling Alonso would leave the Blues short in depth in the left-back slot. The report further adds that Alonso is also not pushing for an exit this summer as he is happy with his current contract at Stamford Bridge, which runs till 2023. A move to Barcelona may entail a pay cut due to their financial issues, which does not appeal to the Spaniard.
So, as things stand, Barcelona’s attempts to land Alonso might prove futile, with Chelsea set to keep hold of him beyond the summer. It remains to be seen who the Catalans go after, with Jose Gaya of Valencia a top target as well.
