Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has finally reacted to the recent transfer rumors surrounding his team captain Cesar Azpilicueta and Spanish La Liga giants Barcelona.
Thomas Tuchel disclosed that he doesn’t want to release the Spain international to Barcelona because he prioritize the aims of his squad rather than that of his players.
However, Cesar Azpilicueta has also shown interest in going back to his country to join Barcelona this summer. This is coming a few weeks after Andreas Christensen left Stamford Bridge to join Barcelona on a free transfer but Thomas Tuchel is getting tired of the lengthy pursuit of Cesar Azpilicueta by Barça.
The signing of former Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly by Chelsea this summer might pave way for the departure of Cesar Azpilicueta. But Thomas Tuchel still believes that Cesar Azpilicueta has a role in his squad next season which is why he doesn’t want him to go.
“It’s a tough question because I am not sure if I want to give Azpi what he wants,” Tuchel said, admitting that he was “maybe a little bit” irked by Barcelona’s constant push. “At some point, it is about what we want”, the coach added.
According to the former Paris Saint-Germain head coach, even though they pushed hard to secure the services of Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli, Cesar Azpilicueta is still important to them.
He added that he will continue to be the captain and he rates him as a top player for Chelsea, while Barcelona don’t see him on that level. Thomas Tuchel continued by noting that he’s not sure if he wants to give Cesar Azpilicueta what he wants as a top player.
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Thomas Tuchel discusses Jules Koundé, other possible defensive reinforcements, César Azpilicueta’s future, Timo Werner rumours and more 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/nQ8g1CIuOx
Thomas Tuchel added that Chelsea only focus on themselves and he has also discussed the plan with Azpilicueta. However, multiple reports believe that the Blues might lose the battle and let Cesar Azpilicueta join his dream club this summer. But Thomas Tuchel’s statements reveal that Barcelona must pay the required amount if they want to sign his captain this summer.
Even though they are flush with cash because of Todd Boehly’s takeover, the Premier League team has no reason to accept a lower offer for one of their most important players and a pillar of their success over the previous five years.
However, there are still doubts on whether Barca can raise the bar further given that a double raid for Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha would theoretically stretch the club’s well-documented financial problems, which have been temporarily resolved by several high-risk moves away from football. But a recent statement from the clubs’ president Joan Laporta clearly shows that they are ready to buy more players, especially defenders before the closure of the current transfer window.
