SHARE

César Azpilicueta is out of contract at Chelsea at the end of the season, and speaking to the club’s official website, the defender refused to confirm he will be staying at Stamford Bridge beyond June 2022.

The duration left on his current deal has seen the 32-year-old attract interest from the likes of Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.

Diego Simeone wants the La Liga winners to help him sign a new right-back in the winter market after they sold Kieran Trippier to Newcastle United.

The Spanish club’s manager and Andrea Berta, the sporting director of Los Rojiblancos, were pictured holding talks yesterday.

Saturday’s edition of Mundo Deportivo states Trippier’s exit has left a ‘hole in the right side’ of the defender and the two were discussing the possibility of bringing in a new fullback during the January window.  

It’s claimed there are several names that has been sounded out by Atlético for this month and those include Azpilicueta, who can operate as a right-back or a central defender.

The Chelsea star is one of the players on the ‘agenda’ of the Madrid club, but his comments to the Blues website indicate the Spaniard will not leave the west London club in January.

Mundo also add Simeone understands there is every chance Atlético could finish the mid-season window without signing a replacement for Trippier.