Atletico Madrid hijack Inter's move for Cesar Azpilicueta
- Azpilicueta had agreed personal terms with Inter
- Chelsea are prepared to grant defender a free transfer
- Atletico have made a late plea to Azpilicueta
Atletico Madrid have made an 11th-hour offer to Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta, 90min understands, with Los Rojiblancos set to beat Inter to his signature.
Azpilicueta agreed personal terms with Inter earlier this month and was expected to head to Italy on a free transfer, with Chelsea keen to reward the Spaniard for his 11 years of service by allowing him to decide his future.
Now, however, Atletico have muscled their way into the conversation with an offer to take Azpilicueta back to his homeland.
A return to Spain is understood to appeal to Azpilicueta and his family and, as a result, Atletico are now expected to land the 33-year-old's signature.
Atletico have released former Tottenham right-back Matt Doherty this summer and so there is an obvious vacancy in Diego Simeone's defence which Azpilicueta will fill.
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Azpilicueta now needs to finalise the details of his departure from Chelsea. The veteran defender still has 12 months remaining on his contract at Stamford Bridge but an agreement to part ways this summer is not expected to prove problematic.
Chelsea are already prepared for Azpilicueta's departure, striking a deal in January to sign 20-year-old Malo Gusto from Lyon for a fee of £30m.
Gusto will provide competition for Reece James at right-back, while the returning Levi Colwill will strengthen Chelsea at centre-back as well.
Uncertainty remains over the future of Trevoh Chalobah, who also has interest from Inter, and the futures of Conor Gallagher, Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Romelu Lukaku and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang must still be resolved.
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