Barcelona will not retract two-year deal for Chelsea veteran despite extension: Fabrizio Romano

Chelsea find themselves in a precarious position with regard to the future of three of their key defenders. Andreas Christensen is all set to join Barcelona on a free transfer in the summer while Antonio Rudiger is also in talks over a potential Bosman deal.

Cesar Azpilicueta, too, is being heavily linked with an exit from Stamford Bridge. The 32-year-old had entered the final few months of his contract with Chelsea.

But, manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed earlier this week that a one-year extension had been triggered, prolonging the Spaniard’s stay in London until 2023.

In spite of the development, Barcelona continue to hold an interest in Azpilicueta. The Catalans want to bring the former Marseille ace to Stamford Bridge as he would add a wealth of experience and versatility to the roster.

The Blaugrana had already held talks with Azpilicueta and even tabled a two-year contract to the Spanish international, which he was close to agreeing, well before the defender’s extension at Stamford Bridge.

Now, reputed journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has claimed that despite Azpilicueta’s contract getting extended, Barcelona have not withdrawn their contract offer from the table as they still hope to sign the seasoned campaigner.

Romano claims that Barça have put forth a two-year deal to the Chelsea captain, with an option of extending it by another year, meaning it essentially runs until 2025.

But with his contract at Chelsea extended, the Catalan giants would require to pay some transfer fee to secure Azpilicueta’s services. Meanwhile, the Blues are hoping that they can persuade their skipper to stay at Stamford Bridge beyond the ongoing campaign.

The decision will now be up to Azpilicueta, as Chelsea are unlikely to stand in his way if he informs them of his desire to depart at the end of the season.