Barcelona closing on Chelsea defender: Good move for the Spanish side?

The Spanish defender has flown with the rest of the team to Los Angeles for the first leg of pre-season US tour this summer.

However, it is presumed that a transfer to Barcelona is close with the English side now demanding around £7m for him, which could be feasible for the La Liga team.

Tenure at Chelsea

The 32-year-old proved himself to be a consistent performer over the years and last season was no different. He managed to produce a series of impressive displays on the right side of Thomas Tuchel’s defence, playing as a right wing-back or right center-back in 47 matches.

However, most of his outings came due to the injuries to the center backs. Tuchel indeed rates him high, yet with the club looking at a couple of more defensive signings, he may not cement his spot as an absolute starter, and Barcelona’s offer in that aspect could tempt him further.

Transfer talk

The 32-year-old, who can play at right-back or center-back, has been the subject of intense interest from Barcelona for several months but a deal is yet to be through. The Spanish defender’s one-year contract extension was just triggered a couple of months back with the Blues manager Tuchel reportedly planning to him considerably the next season.

However, Barcelona are eager to sign Azpilicueta on a two-year deal and now hope that an agreement can be reached. The club are willing to hand him down the first-team role with the departure of Sergino Dest expected. The move could be more appealing for the defender whose first-team role at Chelsea is uncertain. Azpilicueta reportedly has agreed on personal terms with Barcelona. However, the negotiation with Chelsea is still ongoing and it remains to be seen if they can strike a bargain on the deal.

At 32, Azpilicueta has got the experience and skillset to be a great short-term signing for Barcelona this summer. He will add more depth and expertise to Xavi’s inexperienced side and it would be wise on their part to get him for just around £7m at this stage.