Chelsea defender keen to stay put at club amid Barcelona interest

Cesar Azpilicueta might not be the flashiest of the players but the value he has brought to the Chelsea side with his doggedness, leadership, versatility and flexibility over the past decade is unrivalled.

Signed for a paltry sum of just around €8 million, the Spaniard has firmly established himself as an icon at Stamford Bridge and has become the captain of the club, following Gary Cahill’s departure a couple of years ago.

Closing in on 450 appearances for the Blues, Azpilicueta has entered the final year of his contract and there are speculations flying around with regard to his future beyond the current season.

For a while now, Barcelona have been linked with a free transfer swoop for the 32-year-old at the end of the campaign when his deal expires. The Athletic has now come out with a report claiming that the Catalans’ interest in Azpilicueta is very much genuine.

It is stated that manager Xavi Hernandez knows the defender well from having played with him for the Spanish national team and is a huge admirer. The 41-year-old tactician is believed to want to add a player of Azpilicueta’s character and experience to his Barcelona side as he looks to take the team back to glory.

However, the Chelsea captain, as things stand, does not have any intentions to leave the club. Instead, Azpilicueta wants to stay put at Stamford Bridge and keep fighting for his place, with his family well-settled in London.

Despite that, a move is not entirely off the table as the 32-year-old has an eye on making the Spanish national team squad for the World Cup and would consider leaving in case he is no longer a regular at the club. At the same time, Chelsea’s reluctance to hand contracts longer than one year to players over 30 could also become a stumbling block.

Barcelona will be able to open talks with Azpilicueta over a pre-contract agreement starting January. It remains to be seen how things develop in the coming months and whether the Catalans can convince him to change his stance.