Chelsea move to block Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta transfers to Barcelona
In a report carried out by Spanish outlet Diario Sport (h/t Daily Mail), Chelsea has moved to block the transfers of Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta to Barcelona this summer. The tension between the two clubs has increased following Barcelona’s hijacking of the Jules Kounde deal.
Barcelona are interested in signing both Azpilicueta and Alonso from Chelsea this summer. However, following the double whammy inflicted on the Blues in the Raphinha and Kounde deals, the London club now do not want to do business with the Catalunyan giants.
The Blues have been interested in Kounde for over a year. The saga seemed like would end this summer with Chelsea having agreed to a £55 million fee for the player. However, Barcelona is said to have moved in the last minute and landed the player themselves.
This is bound to leave any club frustrated. Barcelona had pulled the same stint for Raphinha and have done it again. To add salt to the wound, they signed Andreas Christensen from Chelsea for free last month.
Now, in an unsurprising move, the Blues have blocked the transfer of two of their senior defenders to the La Liga side. Both the defenders are Spanish and have expressed their desire to be close to home to their family and friends. Barcelona had offered that opportunity, but now that is looking very unlikely to happen.
But on the positive side, this blockade could benefit Chelsea. Alonso’s and Azpilicueta’s move would have required Thomas Tuchel to but their replacements. Now such money can be saved and utilised elsewhere. Also, given the defensive woes of the club, it would be better if this two stayed back for another season.
However, this could become a headache too. Both the players are senior players and they would be understandably upset should they have to stay back. Such morale could affect their performance on the pitch and could also potentially hamper the team’s overall performance.
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It is looking very less likely that Chelsea will enter into any potential business with Barcelona for the remaining of this transfer window. What happens now with the two players is up to speculation. Fans will hope that a mutual solution can be found between the club and the players.