Thomas Tuchel confirmed that wing-back Marcos Alonso has handed in a transfer request to leave the Stamford Bridge fold in this summer’s transfer window.
Alonso has been heavily linked with a move away from Chelsea with La Liga giants Barcelona keen on moving in for the Spain international who has just a year left on his current terms in west London.
The 31-year-old defender was left out of the squad for Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Everton on Saturday at his own request, according to the Blues boss Tuchel’s remarks ( quoted by a report from The Sun) in the aftermath of his side’s win.
“He tries to leave and we agreed to this wish and that’s why it would not have made sense to put him on the pitch today.
“He would have been on the pitch otherwise but I think in this situation it was the right thing to do.”
Alonso, who has made 154 appearances for Chelsea since joining them from Fiorentina in the summer of 2016, is likely to join his long-standing suitors Barcelona with Xavi looking to bring Alonso to Camp Nou.
Chelsea, meanwhile, appear to have lined up a viable replacement for Alonso with Tuchel snapping up the highly-rated Marc Cucurella from Brighton earlier this week in a big-money deal.
