Chelsea and Barcelona had a fierce battle in the transfer market this summer. Although Rafin Chabiloni and Zoulis Goudi both came close to falling into the hands of their rivals, Chelsea didn't rest on their laurels. On Friday (5), the team announced a two-year contract extension with veteran defender Espagoda, which instantly shattered rumors that he might join Barcelona.
Espagoda has been coveted by Barcelona and the 32-year-old captain has his heart set on it. However, Barcelona were only willing to offer €3 million, a figure that Chelsea did not hesitate to reject. After a stalemate, Chelsea finally managed to retain Espagoda. Espagoda said after the contract extension: "I'm very happy to continue to play for Chelsea, it's like my home, I've been joining the club for nearly 10 years, and I'm very excited to be able to take part in the club's brand new program.
The successful contract extension of Espagoda has eased Chelsea's pressure on acquiring defensive players. It is reported that the team is close to acquiring the left back of Bradenton for 62 million pounds. Once the deal is reached, Chelsea will go all out to pursue Wesley Cofina, a stalwart of Leicester City. As for the other left tackle, Marcos Alonso, he is also rumored to be the target of Barcelona.
