Chelsea

Chelsea

Premier League • England

Cesar Azpilicueta facing D-day over Chelsea future after broken promise

Cesar Azpilicueta Chelsea May 2022

Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta will meet again with club officials before deciding whether to leave Stamford Bridge, according to a report.

The Blues skipper has a two-year deal on the table and waiting for him to sign at Barcelona. But his future took a twist recently when the club took up an option to extend his contract by 12 months.

The 32-year-old was set to be out of contract in the summer. But he is now tied to the club until 2023.

That means that Barcelona are liable for a transfer fee for the right-back, who was a £7m signing from Marseille in 2012.

That leaves the future of the reliable defender somewhat unclear. Azpilicueta is understood to be ready to move to Spain.

As per Spanish paper Sport, Azpilicueta had reached a verbal agreement with former owner Roman Abramovich to depart on a free this summer. And the player is unhappy the club went against their previous owner’s word.

Azpilicueta, with over 500 games under his belt for Chelsea, is trying to persuade the Blues to honour Abramovich’s word.

And Fabrizio Romano has now claimed the parties are to meet again to determine Azpilicueta’s future.

Romano reports that Barca has been offered a deal at the Camp Nou and Barca are “working” on a transfer. Azpilicueta though will now meet again with club officials to determine his future.

He looks likely to be joined in Catalonia by Marcos Alonso and Andreas Christensen.

Alonso has one year left on his deal, but reports have claimed he is heading to Barcelona.

And Alonso and Thomas Tuchel had an altercation during the recent 2-2 draw with Wolves. Tuchel though said a line had been drawn under the disagreement at half-time, after Alonso was unhappy with comments made from the Blues bench.

Christensen heading to Barca

Tuchel said: “It started and ended in the first half, and was not continued at half-time or anything else.

“It was not continued at half-time, things are solved, and that happens.”

Christensen meanwhile is also bound for Barcelona on a free transfer. The centre-back missed the FA Cup final defeat to Liverpool after telling Tuchel he was unavailable.

The Evening Standard say the Denmark international asked Tuchel to take his name out of the starting 11 on the morning of the match.

The 26-year-old, who was fit, subsequently missed the Wembley game. And he has decided not to renew his contract at Stamford Bridge with his deal set to expire on June 30.

The defender is understood to have agreed personal terms with Barca, with his new contract set to last until 2027.