Barcelona prioritise signing Spanish defender who will be sold for an ‘affordable’ fee

With Barcelona closing the signings of Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele this week, the focus will now shift to other targets as Xavi Hernandez looks to strengthen his squad ahead of the upcoming campaign.

A move for Bayern Munich superstar Robert Lewandowski remains at the top of the list for Barça. But according to Mundo Deportivo, the Blaugrana have also made the signing of Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta as a priority going forward.

The 32-year-old is in the final year of his contract with the Blues and has his heart set on a transfer to Camp Nou. Personal terms between the defender and Barça have already been agreed, with a transfer now believed to be on the cards.

As per the report, Barcelona have prioritised the capture of Azpilicueta over his Chelsea teammate and left-back, Marcos Alonso. If the latter’s signing gets complicated, the Blaugrana have alternatives lined up.

However, they are not willing to compromise on the signing of Azpilicueta, with Barça expected to launch an offer for the Spanish international imminently.

Chelsea, for their part, are open to selling Azpilicueta and will not stand in the way of his departure after his contributions and performances for the club over the past decade.

Chelsea have informed Azpilicueta that they will sell him for an ‘affordable’ price. However, they have requested time to find a replacement for the veteran defender, who is waiting for a resolution on the situation with the rest of the Blues squad in the US on their pre-season tour.

Barcelona have made the 32-year-old a key priority because not only will he reinforce the right-back slot but also provide cover at left-back, a position he has played in for over 100 games for Chelsea, while he can also double up as a centre-back.

His versatility and leadership are immensely valued in the Catalan camp. And with Chelsea now closing in on the signings of Kalidou Koulibaly and Nathan Ake, Barcelona could soon land Azpilicueta.