Thomas Tuchel has issued an update on the futures of Chelsea defenders Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger, both of whom are linked with Barcelona.
Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League clash against Brentford (h/t Daily Mail), Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has claimed that he believes both Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta could stay at the club amid interest from Barcelona.
The Chelsea pair are in the final few months of their respective contracts with the club and have been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona. Reports have claimed that Azpilicueta already has an agreement to move to Camp Nou at the end of the season.
As for Rudiger, the German defender’s agent recently met with the Barcelona hierarchy in a secret meeting to discuss the possibility of a transfer. Tuchel acknowledged that it was a matter of concern for him and the club but expressed confidence that he believes Rudiger could stay put at Chelsea beyond the ongoing campaign.
“If it’s true, of course. I would want to meet him if I was any other club. I think we have a good chance that he stays our player. The situation is still the situation. Our hands are tied. We cannot renegotiate with him. Fair enough, if it’s true that he listens to other offers. That’s the way things go,” Tuchel said.
Addressing the situation of Azpilicueta, the manager seemed to confirm the speculations that a one-year contract extension was being triggered in the Chelsea skipper’s contract, which could end up keeping him at Stamford Bridge beyond this season.
“I knew it was going to happen because I knew the amount of games. It’s a good thing. It’s good news for us. [There is a] Very high probability that he will stay,” Tuchel added.
Despite the contract extension being triggered, several media outlets have reported that Chelsea would be willing to let Azpilicueta leave if he asked the club for an exit. It remains to be seen how the situation develops in the coming days with regard to the two defenders. However, Andreas Christensen looks set to sign for Barcelona once his contract runs out in a few months.
