Certain conditions being met in the contract will Cesar Azilicueta’s stay at Chelsea being extended by a year despite the sanctions imposed by the UK government. Barcelona, however, continue to maintain their interest in the Spanish defender.
According to several reports, Chelsea are on the verge of renewing Azpilicueta’s contract by an additional year which might prove detrimental to Barcelona’s intentions of signing the 32-year-old on a free next summer.
There’s a specific clause in the Chelsea captain’s contract which might get triggered after he plays a certain number of games. Although the exact figure hasn’t been reported, it is believed that the Spaniard is close to hitting the mark, which will allow Chelsea to extend his contract by another year.
Chelsea have been hit by a wave of sanctions imposed by the UK government given their owner Roman Abramovich’s close ties with Russian president Vladimir Putin. The club will not be able to sign new players or secure contract renewals on the basis of the sanctions, but since the agreement with Azpilicueta was already in place before March 10, the deal is expected to go through.
There is also a lot of goodwill between both parties, and it is said that Azpilicueta is holding talks with Chelsea and negotiating without the presence of an agent. However, it has also been mentioned that Chelsea will not get in the way of the club captain should he choose to pursue a new challenge.
Barcelona have been interested in Azpilicueta for the last few months and have held several talks with the player’s representatives. Despite finding out about the clause in his contract, they remain as confident as ever about the deal.
Ultimately, it could come down to which club manages to convince him better. Barcelona are said to have offered a competitive two-year contract to the 32-year-old with an option for an extra year. Chelsea, on the other hand, had offered him a one-plus-one-year contract deal.
The Catalan club are in advanced negotiations with Azpilicueta’s teammate Andreas Christensen, and the deal is said to be closed. The centre-back has also reportedly undergone medical with Barcelona and will be their first signing of the summer. They are also close to agreeing on terms with AC Milan’s Franck Kessie.
