Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta may be persuaded to leave by the ‘longer contract’ offer on the table made by Barcelona, according to journalist Paul Brown.

The 32-year-old has entered the final six months of his current deal with the Blues, and so far, has failed to put pen to paper on fresh terms, opening the door to a summer exit.

What is the latest news involving Azpilicueta?

Azpilicueta has become a stalwart in the Chelsea backline since arriving from Marseille in 2012, claiming an abundance of silverware during his time with the capital club, including a Champions League crown and two Premier League titles.

However, the 36-cap Spain international’s time at Stamford Bridge could be drawing to a conclusion as negotiations have so far failed to result in an agreement.

According to the Daily Mail, a major issue in the negotiations is the length of contract Chelsea are prepared to offer their long-serving captain.

The Stamford Bridge outfit have a policy of only offering players over 31 one-year renewals, while Azpilicueta is looking for more stability, something potential suitors Barcelona are prepared to offer him.

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Transfer expert and well-known report Fabrizio Romano revealed that the Blaugrana have put forward a two-year deal with option to extend for a further season.

He also claimed that talks started in December, but Barca are still waiting for Azpilicueta to make a ‘final decision’ while Chelsea remain hopeful that he will stay put and commit his future to the club.

What has Brown said about Azpilicueta?

Despite the ongoing uncertainly surrounding the versatile star’s future, Thomas Tuchel has continued to select him on a regular basis, with Azpilicueta making 31 appearances in all competitions this term.

Nevertheless, Brown believes the security of a potential three-year stay at the Camp Nou could be enough for Azpilicueta to call time on his 460-game Chelsea career.

He told GiveMeSport: “You've already got a contract offer on the table from Barcelona, and it's a good one. It's a longer contract than he's going to get at Chelsea, and if anything is going to persuade him to leave, it’s going to be that.”

Would Azpilicueta be a big loss?

Azpilicueta is expected to lead his team out at Wembley this afternoon as he attempts to add a second League Cup to his trophy collection.

And his underlying numbers indicate his performance levels haven’t dropped off despite him entering the twilight zone of his career.

The 5 foot 8 ace has averaged 2.4 tackles, 2.7 clearances and 0.5 blocks per league game throughout 2021/22, ranking him in the top four for each metric amongst his Chelsea colleagues, as per WhoScored.