Chelsea star Cesar Azpilicueta has agreed a deal in principle with Barcelona on a free transfer.
Azpilicueta’s contract at Chelsea expires in the summer, and is now expected to join Barcelona. This is according to Football Insider who report that he has rejected a deal from Chelsea to join the club.
After the sanctions placed against Roman Abramovich, Chelsea are currently unable to negotiate new deals for any players. Azpilicueta has a good relationship with the club after many years of service, so it seems they’ve respected his decision to leave London.
The 32-year-old was born in Spain, so a return to his home country makes sense for the current Chelsea defender.
Barcelona may be interested in Azpilicueta for his versatility and experience. Over the years, he has played in multiple positions including left-back, centre-back and right-back.
Azpilicueta has racked up over 600 senior appearances and has represented his country 36 times. With the young talent at Barcelona, his experience will be welcomed by current manager Xavi.