Barcelona are reportedly weighing up the prospect of signing Cesar Azpilicueta from Chelsea in the January transfer window.
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona could launch the offensive for Cesar Azpilicueta in the January transfer window instead of waiting till next summer to place a bid for the Chelsea captain.
Cesar Azpilicueta has been with Chelsea for nearly a decade, having joined the club from Marseille in August 2012. In the last ten seasons, the 32-year-old has been a dependable customer at the back for Chelsea, proving to be a utility man with his ability to reprise every role in the defensive unit.
The Spanish international has also been the Blues’ captain since the start of the 2019/20 season, and to date, he has made 449 appearances for Chelsea, chipping in with 14 goals and 56 assists in the process. However, Azpilicueta is in the final year of his contract with the west Londoners, with his situation alerting Barcelona.
The interest from Barcelona makes a world of sense, considering Sergino Dest faces an uncertain future at Camp Nou. The USMNT international has failed to impress Xavi Hernandez and could be on his way out of the club as soon as the January transfer window.
In addition to being a short-term solution in the right-back slot, the Chelsea captain could also slot in at the heart of the Barcelona defence, if need be. The Catalan giants have recently been linked with several centre-backs, and Azpilicueta could be a one-stop solution while also possible being an option for the left-back spot.
Now, the La Liga heavyweights are weighing up the prospect of accelerating their efforts to snap up the Chelsea utility man in the January transfer window on a cut-price deal instead of waiting till next summer. Barcelona’s changed outlook could also be a forced outcome of Atletico Madrid’s interest in Azpilicueta.
However, as per recent suggestions, the 32-year-old is keen on extending his stay at Chelsea to fight for his place in the starting lineup instead of departing Stamford Bridge. So, it remains to be seen if Barcelona can convince Azpilicueta to end his Chelsea stint by moving to Camp Nou in January.