Azpilicueta and Alonso to Barcelona: What is the status of the transfers?
Robin Bairner
- 18 Jul 2022 09:08 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona are in the transfer market for defensive reinforcements and have turned their attentions towards Chelsea pair Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso.
Barca have been interested in the Spanish duo for many weeks but have been unable to get a deal done.
Having sealed the signing of Raphinha from Leeds and having virtually tied down Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich, the Catalan side can now afford to concentrate on their defence after splashing out €100 million on their attack.
Needless to say, they do not have the financial muscle to spend such lavish sums on their rearguard and are now targeting a pair of veterans who could be seen as surplus to requirements at Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea.
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Cesar Azpilicueta to Barcelona
Barcelona have offered Chelsea €3m for the 32-year-old Azpilicueta, according to Mundo Deportivo.
This is a deal that the Blues could be tempted to accept, although the sticking point in the transfer at present is that the Premier League side want to find a replacement.
Chelsea continue to be linked with PSG defender Presnel Kimpembe, but the latest reports are that they are falling well short of the Ligue 1 club’s asking price. There are also concerns over the wage packet that they will offer Kimpembe will not be enough to lure the France international away from Parc des Princes, where he is settled.
As such, this deal remains active but far from complete.
Marcos Alonso to Barcelona
Barcelona’s transfer for 31-year-old left-back Marcos Alonso is reported to be “complicated” by Gabriel Sans.
With Ben Chilwell just returning from a long-term injury, it would be little surprise if Chelsea were reticent to let his backup leave for a price around market value.
The Blaugrana are already studying alternatives, with Javi Galan of Celta the player presently top of their shortlist.
Indeed, it seems that both deals for Azpilicueta and Alonso have stalled for now, which could prompt Barcelona to look elsewhere if they want deals done much before the end of the transfer window.
