Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel will only sanction the sale of Cesar Azpilicueta to Barcelona if the Blues sign replacements this summer, it has been reported.
The defender has been heavily linked with a return to Spain despite an automatic extension in his contract, seeing him remain at Stamford Bridge until 2023.
The recent reports have revealed that Chelsea informed Barcelona of a £7 million valuation for their captain this summer.
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Chelsea’s new co-owner, Todd Boehly, was in Barcelona to hold talks with Joan Laporta, the club president and Mateu Alemany, the Director of Football, however the subject of the meeting remains unclear.
Boehly, however, feels that due to Azpilicueta’s high-level of experience, his leadership and the fact he is rarely ever injured that they should not be letting him go for free this summer.
The Blues have already lost Andreas Christensen on a free transfer to Barcelona, while Antonio Rudiger also departed at the end of his contract to join Real Madrid.
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Chelsea head coach Tuchel’s stance on the matter has now been revealed.
As reported by Matt Law of The Telegraph, Tuchel does not want to sanction the departure of Azpilicueta until Chelsea have made defensive signings.
It looks like Napoli star Kalidou Kouliably will be coming through the door at Stamford Bridge this summer, with Chelsea said to be ‘very close’ to signing the defender.
Nathan Ake is also expected to join from Manchester City but it remains to be seen whether a deal will be struck for the Dutchman soon.
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Therefore, if the duo arrive, Chelsea could allow Azpilicueta to depart.
However, the 32-year-old can play as a right wing-back, providing back-up to Reece James and Chelsea may look to bring in a replacement in this position before sanctioning a move.
Tuchel previously heaped praise on his skipper towards the end of last season, stating that they must ensure that he is committed to the club if he is to stay.
He said: "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.
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"We (need to) find out if he can give everything that makes him special. I think, with all the respect, he can only be special if he is committed 100 percent and does not have another little voice in his head, not one concern in his head, that he should have done something differently.
"He is only the guy he is when he is fully committed. That is his foundation. So this is what we have to find out. That does not mean we find it out tomorrow or today, we still have time because we are also in the privileged position where we have a contract. We have to see."
It remains to be seen as to whether the Blues will sanction a move, with incomings expected first.
Topics: Chelsea, Chelsea Transfer News & Rumours, Cesar Azpilicueta, Thomas Tuchel, Barcelona, Football, Transfers
Nick Emms