Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge in recent months and the 32-year-old is now nearing the end of his contract.
According to a report from Eurosport, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are keen on signing the experienced Spanish defender and they could look to snap him up on a free transfer at the end of this season.
The report adds that some of the Chelsea players have been left bewildered by the defender’s situation at the club.
Azpilicueta has been a key player for Chelsea over the years and one would have expected the club to agree on a contract extension with him by now.
The 32-year-old is not the player he used to be but he’s still a very useful option and his experience and leadership could still prove to be priceless for the Chelsea dressing room.
If he fails to agree on an extension with the Blues, a move to Atletico Madrid or Barcelona wouldn’t be a bad option for the Spaniard.
Both teams could use a quality defender and Azpilicueta has proven himself as one of the best around Europe in the last few years.
Furthermore, the contract situation of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen is also a cause for concern. Both players are struggling to agree on a deal with Chelsea right now and it will be interesting to see if they decide to move on in the coming months.
The report from Eurosport claims that Azpilicueta is almost certain that he will leave Chelsea in the coming months but he still hopes to continue with the Blues.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have been linked with quite a few defenders in recent weeks and they tried to sign the Sevilla star Jules Kounde last summer as well. They are reportedly close to signing Attila Szalai as well.
It remains to be seen how the situation develops over the next few weeks and whether the 32-year-old defender is offered a short extension to further his Chelsea career for now.
