Barcelona are bidding to hit Chelsea with a triple blow during the summer transfer window by signing Antonio Rudiger as well as Cesar Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen.
Rudiger's agent, Sahr Senesie, has been spotted in Catalonia holding talks at a city-centre hotel with Barca sporting director Mateu Alemany and technical director Jordi Cruyff. The Blaugrana are eyeing a free transfer when the 28-year-old's contract with the Blues expires at the end of the season, as his current employers are unwilling to give in to his demands which reportedly include a wage in excess of £200,000 per week.
Sky Germany claim that Senesie sat down with the Camp Nou chiefs for three hours on Wednesday evening, with his client rejecting a new deal at Stamford Bridge despite claiming that he would like to stay in west London. Manager Xavi Hernandez views the Germany defender, also linked to Manchester United, Newcastle, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, as a leader who can offer experience to his young defence and be the heir to veteran Gerard Pique.
In a boost for Xavi and co, Chelsea are under restraints following sanctions on owner Roman Abramovich which means they cannot agree new contracts until a takeover is completed and the UK government allows them to resume regular operations. It also means that not only are the Blues currently prevented from tying down Rudiger, but his teammates, too.
Club captain Azpilicueta recently triggered a one-year extension in his deal but is yet to make a decision on his future and is still wanted by Barcelona, who are said to have handed him a lucrative two-year offer. In addition to his potential departure, Mirror Football understands that Christensen has already agreed to join the La Liga giants after president Joan Laporta confirmed that Barca had wrapped up two signings on free transfers - the other being AC Milan powerhouse Franck Kessie.
The Blaugrana's interest in the Dane was made public prior to the international break, angering Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, who lamented earlier this month: "I think it's a crucial point in his Chelsea career at the moment. I think it's a crucial point where he has the chance, at the perfect age and the perfect moment, regarding the situation, the system we play, the guys who play at his side.
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"Considering all these circumstances, it's for me, the decisive moment for him to step up and be a huge Chelsea player for the next years. If he decides otherwise I will not take it personally and it's – in the end – not important if I understand it or not. But I will treat him as my player until the very last day, if he behaves how he has behaved."
When quizzed on all three contract scenarios, Tuchel was forced to admit: "Of course that's a situation. Maybe the bottom line is we cannot help it. It is what it is.You never know, maybe it has a positive effect on the negotiation. Maybe it has a negative effect. We cannot predict. I would like not to predict or start predicting all scenarios because we just lose focus on it."
Azpilicueta, meanwhile, has been fairly muted on his predicament, shutting down talk while on international duty with Spain. "This is not the time or place to talk about the future," Azpilicueta stated. "If there's one thing we've learned from the pandemic and with Chelsea's current situation it’s that we have to live the day to day, live the moment. Now is the time to focus on the selection."
