In a recent report, The Daily Mail stated that Barcelona would have to pay £7m for Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta this summer. It has been claimed that the Catalan outfit have identified the Spanish full-back as a target for this summer transfer window.
Azpilicueta’s Impressive Season In English Football Last Season
Azpilicueta had another solid campaign at Stamford Bridge as he managed to produce a series of impressive displays on the right side of Thomas Tuchel’s defence. The 32-year-old scored three times and secured three assists in 47 matches for the West London club last season across all competitions.
The Pamplona-born sensation proved himself to be a consistent performer based on his average of 1.9 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, 2.3 clearances and 0.6 key passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He even took care of the ball well when distributing possession from the back after making 85.7% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
What Will Azpilicueta Add To Barcelona Boss Xavi’s Side?
Azpilicueta remains a hard-working right-back who can serve as a centre-back if needed. He is a good tackler of the ball and can pull off a few important interceptions on the defensive end of the field.
The Spaniard usually puts his foot through the ball when required and can even engineer some inviting opportunities for his teammates up top. Azpilicueta can even be a tidy passer of the ball from the right flank. However, father time is catching up with his game, so he will only be useful for the Catalan club in the short run.
Azpilicueta has got the experience and skillset to be a great signing for Barca this summer. His current contract with Chelsea will expire next summer, so Barcelona boss Xavi would have a good chance of landing him on a cut-price fee this summer.
At 32, Azpilicueta will be a good, short-term option for the Catalan giants as he will add more energy and steel to Xavi’s defensive department at the Nou Camp. Hence, Barca would be wise to meet Chelsea’s £7m valuation and sign Azpilicueta before the start of the new campaign.
