KEY POINTS

  • Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez is believed to have actively hunting potential transfer targets
  • Xavi is reportedly certain Chelsea veteran Cesar Azpilicueta will be a great addition to his squad
  • Barca has already signed 38-year-old Dani Alves

The Barcelona squad is very likely to have a new look under Xavi Hernandez.

Things are believed to have been speeding up at Barcelona especially in terms of changes after Xavi arrived.

The Barca boss is reportedly playing an active role in the club’s recruitment amid the season, and one of his most recent targets is Chelsea veteran Cesar Azpilicueta, ESPN reported, citing unnamed sources.

According to the report, Barcelona has been “monitoring” Azpilicueta’s contract situation now that he is entering the final six months of his Chelsea deal.

The Blues are still trying to negotiate an extension, but an agreement has yet to be reached.

It can be recalled that Barca has managed to land Memphis Depay, Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia on free transfers this past summer, but the report said that the club “will continue to target out-of-contract players” due to current financial woes.

In the process, Barcelona has earmarked Azpilicueta, who captained Chelsea in the club’s successful UEFA Champions League run last season.

The report added that Xavi “values” Azpilicueta’s “ability to play at right-back in a four-man defense or on the right of a back three.”

Moreover, the Barca manager may have also been aware that the 32-year-old could certainly add depth to his young backline setup composed of Sergino Dest, Garcia, Oscar Mingueza and Ronald Araujo.

Chelsea's Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta lifts the Champions League trophy
Chelsea's Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta lifts the Champions League trophy POOL / CARL RECINE

More veterans are expected to be linked to a move to Barcelona with Camp Nou legend Dani Alves already back in the squad.

Alves, 38, played alongside Xavi during the Catalans’ heyday, and he is now ready to represent his beloved club.

“I am still in shock. I have been trying to return for a long time,” Alves told Diario Sport of his Barcelona return. “It is a privilege to return, we will try to rescue the Barça that we all know. We are in a process, but we have to accelerate it because we are Barça and there is no margin to make mistakes.”

“I am facing an incredible challenge, one of the ones that fascinate me the most,” he added. “To rebuild, fight, sweat … defend the shirt. There are two shirts that when I put them on I feel like a superhero: the one from Brazil and the one from Barca. I hope to spread all of that to my teammates.”

Aside from Alves, Barcelona is also said to be interested in bringing back another former Catalan star Thiago, who is currently playing for English Premier League side Liverpool.

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