"It just doesn’t happen" - Craig Burley fires transfer warning to Barcelona amid links to Chelsea star
Craig Burley has fired a transfer warning to Spanish giants Barcelona in their pursuit of Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso. Burley believes Alonso will not be able to fit himself into Xavi's style of play and the transfer may 'fall flat' on the face.
Barcelona are very optimistic about the signing of Marcos Alonso!
🚨 Barcelona are very optimistic about the signing of Marcos Alonso!
They believe Chelsea will facilitate his departure by asking for a reasonable fee for the transfer.
(Source: @MatteMoretto) https://t.co/fHC4xiMSH2
The Spanish giants have been linked with a move for the Chelsea wing-back as Xavi continues implementing his plans to overhaul his former team as manager.
Alonso spent his youth playing for Real Madrid before joining the Premier League side in 2016. The 31-year-old Spanish international defender has won the Champions League, Premier League, and Europa League titles with the Blues.
Chelsea's defensive set-up has already suffered a huge blow after European champions Real Madrid signed Antonio Rudiger.
Thomas Tuchel will have to enter the transfer window with a potential list targeting defenders as Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta are also being rumored to leave Stamford Bridge this year.
Speaking to ESPN FC, Burley discussed the Catalan club's interest in Marcos Alonso. He said:
“Here is where it just falls flat on its face for me. For a long time now Marcos Alonso has struggled as a left-back. I think Marcos Alonso has superseded expectations in the last two or three years, particularly before Chilwell and when Chilwell has been out, as a wing-back. But he struggled at left-back. He struggled when he didn't have a Rudiger or a third centre-back outside him to cover him.''
“Correct me if I am wrong, somebody will have to tell me the last time consistently Barcelona played with three at the back with wing-backs, it just doesn’t happen. When you look at that as a position and when you look at his age, yeah it might be cheap and cheerful and it’s something they can do, but he struggles as a left-back, certainly in the latter part of his career when he has had to go back there and defend one-on-one.”
Chelsea favourites to sign Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele for free
Chelsea lead the race to sign Barcelona star and France international Ousmane Dembele for free in the summer transfer window this year. Dembele has long been looking to move out of Camp Nou and the Premier League club could be his new destination very soon.
Chelsea are now odds-on favourites to sign Ousmane Dembélé on a free!🔵
SO much to offer if he can stay fit. https://t.co/RvfoMTuM5R
The 25-year-old has struggled to keep his performances consistent as his injury issues keep surfacing time after time. The situation has come to a point where the Catalan club are not in a position to bear his wage bill due to their precarious economic situation.