Chelsea are going to find it tough in replacing up to five defenders who have decided to leave the club at the end of the season. With Toni Rudiger and Andreas Christiensen confirmed as Real Madrid and Barcelona players respectively, it is looking as though Thomas Tuchel will have to begin a scouting process for his defence line as they prepare for the pre-season in July.
Captain Cesar Azpilicueta as well as fellow Spanish compatriot Marcos Alonso are set to join Barcelona this summer, with the Catalan side already at advanced stages with both players. Alonso is eager to join Barcelona and will be in Spain next week to undergo his medical which will then be followed by an official announcement by the club.
Azpilicueta is also keen on returning to Spain and the right-back is seen as a good option at right-back for Barca, irrespective of him being 32. The defender has found his been a colossal part of Chelsea’s squad and it will be a huge blow for the club to find his replacement.
Ben Chilwell is now back in training and this has eased the pressure off Tuchel about the pre-season tourneys coming up in July as the club have only Kenedy should Alonso eventually depart. Chilwell, 25, suffered a terrible cruciate ligament injury against Juventus during a group stage Champions League game last year. His return is a huge boost for Chelsea, who will also be in the market for another left-back to play back up and also give the England international competition for his position.
Alonso is optimistic about the prospect of working under Xavi as he has spoken highly of the Spanish World Cup winner. The 31-year-old signed in 2016 from Italian club Fiorentina and won the PL title under Antonio Conte in the 2016/17 season. He, as well as Azpilicueta, have gone on to win every club trophy with the Blues and they will be remembered as one of the most successful players to have ever worn a Chelsea shirt.
Chelsea will begin their transfer business in the summer and the club will identify possible targets for positions that need to be occupied. Only a few players remain linked to a summer move to Chelsea, like Antony at Ajax and Jules Kounde of Sevilla.
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