Barcelona want to rescue Cesar Azpilicueta from his Chelsea nightmare…
Barcelona are expected to move for Chelsea’s Spanish right-back Cesar Azpilicueta when the transfer window reopens in January, reports talkSPORT.
The 24-year-old Spanish international fullback impressed last season under Rafa Benitez, but is heavily out of favour under Jose Mourinho, who has offered Azpilicueta only one brief substitute cameo appearance all season.
Azpilicueta offers great pace and dynamism down the right flank, but is arguably not as good defensively as he is going forward.
Branislac Ivanovic is Mourinho’s first-choice right-back, and it doesn’t look like the Portuguese boss wants to rotate his defensive options. With a World Cup coming up next summer in Brazil, like his fellow Chelsea Spanish teammates Juan Mata and Fernando Torres, Azpilicueta may seek to force a move away from the club in the winter to guarantee first-team football.
With Dani Alves already at Barcelona however, Azpilicueta will likely be a backup option at the Nou Camp also.
The La Liga champions are making contingency plans should the current backup fullback Martin Montoya leave the club in January. Liverpool and Arsenal are reportedly interested in the Spanish Under-21 international, who similarly may want to leave to find first-team football.
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