Barcelona are convinced that they will have Cesar Azpilicueta in their team next season, but that's not all. The Chelsea captain himself is reassured the Blues will let him go to honour his request in the summer.
If you thought that Chelsea's transfer nightmare couldn't worsen, brace yourself.
Along with Andreas Christensen, Azpilicueta has reportedly agreed on a deal in principle with the Catalans and will be looking forward to a move to Spain in the summer. Antonio Rudiger is also another one of Chelsea's players on Barcelona's free transfer list, and it is a worry as they might lose three of their most decorated defenders.
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The Spanish news outlet Sport has reported that the Chelsea captain is planning to talk to those in charge at Stamford Bridge to make the move happen. Barcelona are in the 'final stretch' of the potential deal, as they've been chasing his signature for several months.
The club are confident that the Spaniard will return to his birth country to play football this summer. Azpilicueta also believes that the Chelsea hierarchy will have no problem letting him go on a free as a reward for his time at the club.
The departure of Azpilicueta means two things.
New Captain incoming
The Blues will need to decide on the 32-year-olds successor upon his departure. Jorginho is the obvious answer. However, with his contract running out in 2023, a bigger decision will need to be made. Chelsea may need to call upon one of their very own youngsters to take the mantle.
Jules Kounde battle is on
Transfer news between Kounde and Chelsea has turned into radio silence as the Blues remain focused on fixing their internal issues within the club. The Sevilla defender was close to a Chelsea transfer during the last summer transfer window, but the deal fell through due to a change in fee.
Chelsea will need to do their best to secure the defender before the defence situation turns from bad to worse. They first need to overcome the difficulties with their owners before looking towards replacing Azpilicueta.
