Barcelona eye free Azpilicueta transfer

Barcelona are keeping a close eye on the contract situation of Cesar Azpilicueta at Chelsea, according to ESPN.

The 32-year-old defender last signed a three-and-a-half-year deal in December 2018, which means he is set to become a free agent at the end of the season if he doesn’t sign a new one. Chelsea are notoriously difficult when it comes to offering long-term deals to players over 30, which has led to some long-standing servants leaving the club in recent years.

Meanwhile, Barcelona are still in a difficult financial situation, which means they’re still looking to get top players without paying a transfer fee if possible. They signed defender Eric Garcia and striker Sergio Aguero from Manchester City earlier this year that way, as well as forward Memphis Depay from Olympique Lyon, while narrowly missing out on midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum who left Liverpool to join Paris Saint-Germain.

Nonetheless, Azpilicueta is an important player for Thomas Tuchel and his team, and Chelsea are hopeful that an agreement over a new deal will be found.