Man Utd want Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta in shock £11.8m summer deal as Jose Mourinho prepares to raid old club for star
Paris Saint-Germain also keen as new Blues boss Antonio Conte makes Spanish defender available for bargain price
MANCHESTER UNITED are reportedly interested in signing Chelsea star Cesar Azpilicueta.
claims Antonio Conte is happy to offload the versatile full-back this summer for just £11.8million.
Azpilicueta was regarded as a key player during Jose Mourinho’s second Stamford Bridge spell, and the new Red Devils boss is apparently ready to make a bid.
However, the report adds United face stiff competition from Paris Saint-Germain and Athletic Bilbao for Azpilicueta’s signature.
PSG are set to part with both Serge Aurier and Gregory van der Wiel, and Unai Emery – who has been tipped to take over from Laurent Blanc – is said to be keen on snapping up the Spaniard.
Meanwhile, a move to Athletic would see Azpilicueta reunited with some old friends including Mikel San Jose and Raul Garcia, and the 26-year-old could be tempted by a return home after four years in the Premier League.
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Whether Azpilicueta ends up leaving Stamford Bridge remains to be seen, with the defender a popular figure amongst fans.
But Conte is reportedly preparing to utilise a 3-5-2 formation in west London, and Azpilicueta’s lack of real pace – plus a tendency to stay deep with Chelsea's centre-backs – could cost him a place in the Italian’s squad.
If he is deemed surplus to requirements, a transfer to Old Trafford with Mourinho could make sense for all parties involved.
Azpilicueta, who joined Chelsea for £7m from Marseille in 2012, was given his big break by the Special One ahead of Ashley Cole and could now come in to replace Matteo Darmian, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea after just one season in Manchester.
And Azpilicueta isn’t the only Blues player in Mourinho’s sights, with defensive midfielder Nemanja Matic and winger Willian also wanted at the Theatre of Dreams.
Mourinho built his title-winning side of 2015 around Serbian linchpin Matic, while Willian was easily the Portuguese tactician's best performer before Roman Abramovich wielded the axe last December.