Barcelona are ready to inflict transfer misery on Chelsea this summer with the arrival of three signings - Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso and Jules Kounde, according to reports.
Chelsea are yet to learn their fate over whether or not their club captain, Azpilicueta, wants to stay or leave after 10 years at the club.
Azpilicueta saw his contract extended after a one-year extension was automatically triggered following the threshold for number of appearances being met towards the end of the last season.
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But that has had no bearing on his future other than Barcelona, who are heavily linked, needing to pay a transfer fee to secure the services of the 32-year-old.
Thomas Tuchel wants to keep his skipper but accepts that he deserves to make his own decision due to his service and commitment for Chelsea during his long-term stay in the capital.
"He deserves it," admitted the Blues boss on Azpilicueta deciding his own future. "And I listen to my captain. He has been at this club for more than a decade, so he has this right. This is my opinion.
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"He is everything Chelsea is about, and I am so, so happy he is the captain because he is humble, hard-working, a nice guy and a polite guy.
"I am happy that in football, it's possible a guy like this can win all the trophies. That sets the example. It sets the tone. It sets the atmosphere at a very high level.
"Given the fact we lose already key defenders, it's not the ideal scenario to think about losing Azpi, even if I can understand his personal point of view.
"If you are a legend, which he is, you deserve maybe also from me and the club a second look at it, is there may be an exception from the rule. We are still in this process."
Marcos Alonso is another Chelsea player who could leave this summer. He has one year left on his current deal and despite being happy at the club, he wants to return to Spain one day - something he publicly expressed earlier this month.
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He said: "On paper, I have a contract for one more year and that is where we’re at today. I’ve already said that I would like to play in Spain again, but it doesn’t depend entirely on me.
“I can’t complain about anything at Chelsea, but the desire to play in Spain is there. It doesn’t depend entirely on me and I’m happy at Chelsea, honestly.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea are keen on bringing Jules Kounde to the club one year on from when the initial transfer collapsed last summer with Sevilla in the final stages of the transfer window.
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Chelsea have agreed personal terms with the France international, who is keen to make the switch, and now all that is left to do is for a fee to be agreed between the two sides. But Barcelona are showing interest too and will provide Tuchel's side with competition.
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As reported by Mundo Deportivo, Chelsea could be handed a triple blow by the Spanish side. Xavi has held a meeting with Barcelona and they have made Azpilicueta, Alonso and Kounde 'primary transfer targets' for this summer.
Tuchel and co cannot allow all three players to slip through their hands to make the switches to the Camp Nou.
If they don't get a move on now, then they could pay the price later on down the line in their bid to rebuild the squad following the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Chelsea, Chelsea Transfer News & Rumours, Barcelona, Football, Cesar Azpilicueta, Jules Kounde, Marcos Alonso, Transfers
