Xavi Hernandez has reportedly contacted wantaway Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta to reassure him that Barcelona will sign him this summer.
A report by Spanish publication AS claimed that Xavi Hernandez has let Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta know that Barcelona will launch the offensive to secure his services in the summer transfer window. But that will only happen once the Catalan giants complete the move for Jules Kounde.
Cesar Azpilicueta has been a prized asset for Chelsea since arriving at Stamford Bridge from Marseille ten years ago. The veteran Spanish defender has been a handy customer due to his versatility, as he has reprised every role in the defensive unit without letting his consistency levels drop.
The 32-year-old has turned out 474 times thus far for Chelsea while chipping in with 17 goals and 56 assists. But Azpilicueta is keen on leaving Chelsea after entering the final year of his contract, as he wants to embark on a new adventure this summer. And the Spaniard’s preferred destination is Barcelona.
The Catalan giants are also desperate to sign Azpilicueta in the summer transfer window after choosing not to hand Dani Alves a new contract. With the veteran Brazilian full-back departing as a free agent, Sergino Dest and Sergi Roberto are the only right-backs left at Xavi Hernandez’s disposal.
But while Dest has failed to convince Xavi of his abilities, Roberto’s performance levels have dropped at an alarming rate in the last few years. Azpilicueta has thus emerged as a viable target for Barcelona to bolster the right-back slot, with the Chelsea captain keen on moving to Camp Nou. And Xavi has now reassured the Spaniard that Barcelona will sign him this summer.
But Thomas Tuchel recently suggested that he might block Azpilicueta’s move to Barcelona after getting annoyed by the Catalan club’s tactics while pursuing the wantaway defender. And recent reports have also claimed that Chelsea will prefer not to sell the 32-year-old to Barcelona after facing defeat in the race to sign Jules Kounde, who will soon join the Blaugrana.
So Azpilicueta’s future hangs in the balance. But the Chelsea captain might hold Xavi to his reassurances, and the transfer saga might stretch for a few more days, if not weeks. For now, Chelsea and Barcelona are at a stalemate over a deal for the veteran Spanish defender.
