"It’s a longer contract than he’s going to get at Chelsea" - Journalist provides key update on Barcelona transfer target 

Journalist and transfer pundit Paul Brown has revealed that Cesar Azpilicueta could be persuaded to leave Chelsea, as he has been offered a longer contract by Barcelona.

The Spaniard has just four months left on his current deal with the Premier League giants, but is yet to agree a fresh deal, leaving the door ajar for his summer exit. According to the Daily Mail, a major issue in the negotiations is the length of the contract the Blues are prepared to offer their long-serving captain.

The club has a policy of giving one-year renewals to players who're over the age of 31, but Azpilicueta, 32, is looking for a long-term commitment.

Barcelona are ready to offer exactly that, with a two-year deal with the option of extending it by another season, as revealed by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

He also claimed that the renewal talks began in December. The Blaugrana are now waiting for the defender to make a final call, while Chelsea are hopeful he'll maintain their allegiance with them.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Azpilicueta's future, head coach Thomas Tuchel has played his captain regularly. The Chelsea captain has made 31 appearances across competitions this season.

However, Brown feels the guarantee of a three-year stay at the Camp Nou could be enough to convince Azpilicueta to jump ship. He told GiveMeSport in this regard:

“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.”

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Chelsea must tie down Cesar Azpilicueta to a long-term contract

Despite being in the twilight of his career, Azpilicueta has shown no signs of slowing down yet.

The Blues captain has averaged 2.4 tackles and 2.7 clearances per league game this season, which is among the highest in his squad right now. He's also set to lead the side out in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley later today as the Spaniard aims for a second title in the competition.

Since joining the Pensioners in 2012 from Marseille, he has established himself at the heart of their backline, and has evolved into one of the world's best defenders.

Overall, Azpilicueta has made 460 appearances for the Blues so far, contributing 61 goals and lifting nine titles. That includes two each in the Premier League and Champions League.

He has had three children born in London, and his family is well setlled in the city. So it remains to be seen if that continues beyond the summer.