Bayern Munich interested in veteran Chelsea defender
Ever since Niklas Sule rejected the contract offer and decided to leave in the summer, Bayern Munich has been linked with numerous center-backs. The Bavarian club will be looking to replace the German defender in the summer. Meanwhile, Sule is set to join Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer in the summer.
Die Roten has been majorly linked with central defenders from Chelsea. The German club has reportedly stepped up efforts to sign Andreas Christensen. The Danish defender will become a free agent in the summer. Rekordmeister was also interested in Antonio Rudiger, but the German international’s wages will not be feasible for the club.
The latest update from Spain suggests that Die Roten is also interested in another defender from Chelsea. According to Mundo Deportivo, Bayern is interested in Chelsea skipper Cesar Azpilicueta. The Spanish defender’s contract at Stamford Bridge is coming to an end in June later this year. Barcelona also holds a strong interest in the Spanish defender.
Azpilicueta has been a consistent player for Chelsea for the majority of the last decade. He has been a key player for numerous managers at Stamford Bridge. His leadership qualities have also been pivotal in helping Chelsea to win numerous trophies over the year.
In terms of his profile, Azpilicueta can operate as right-back and left-back. He is very sound on the ball and doesn’t get bogged down while challenging for duels. However, his lack of pace can be exploited by fast wide players.
Azpilicueta has been used as a third center-back whenever Chelsea plays a back three. The Spaniard has excelled in this role. His versatility can be handy for any coach in the world. Moreover, he is also good at tactical plans for a particular position, making him a very good player to have in the squad.
Die Roten can definitely benefit from having a player like Azpilicueta in the squad. However, the Spaniard will command significant wages, and he will soon be past his best. Bayern should definitely look for a younger defender when it comes to replacing Sule in the summer window. For now, Christensen will be a much better signing for the Bavarian club.
The Bavarian club shouldn’t rush to replace Sule if there is no feasible option in the market. They can replace Sule internally for the time being and address other positions in the squad. Die Roten desperately needs a quality attacking right-back and a good cover in the holding midfield position.