Thomas Tuchel criticizes Barcelona's pursuit of Cesar Azpilicueta

's pursuit of Chelsea captain

has gotten old for

Thomas Tuchel

, who has revealed that the Blues may end up keeping him this summer.

Azpilicueta has urged Chelsea to let him leave on a reduced deal, and Barça have made no secret of their desire to add him to their roster. The Catalan club acquired Andreas Christensen from Chelsea on a free transfer this summer.

Tuchel, however, has stated that any potential deal involving the 32-year-old is in jeopardy due to the vast discrepancy in the clubs' values of the player. It's a tricky question, and I'm not entirely sure I want to offer Azpi what he's asking for. Ultimately, everything comes down to personal preference. When discussing the effort put forth to get [Kalidou] Koulibaly, a national team player of roughly the same age, Tuchel drew a parallel.

Napoli

would be lost without him, but Chelsea already has a Spanish international serving as captain. Possibly on the same level as me, but not in Barcelona's eyes. Since he is such a major player, I am not sure if I should grant his request.

In regards to other clubs, we don't give them much of our attention. Everything revolves around ourselves and what we require. I told him that and now I'm telling you: I get it, personally and professionally. However, my purpose here does not consist solely of catering to his wishes. As the manager of Chelsea, I have the club's best interests at heart.

He doesn't agree with it, but he gets it. The constant attention of the opposing club makes things difficult for him. When things settle down on September 1st, he'll be able to perform at his peak. Upon being questioned if he was frustrated by Barcelona's pursuit of Azpilicueta, he answered, "Maybe a little bit."

While Tuchel remained tight-lipped on Jules Kounde's impending departure to

Chelsea

, the coach did admit that he is interested in signing a left-sided defender. So, naturally, we're on the lookout for left-footed players, Tuchel said. Although he normally plays on the right side of the defense,

was pressed into service on the left side. Maybe Kalidou, who normally plays on the left side of a back four, would be able to make the transition.

Let's explore the possibilities. Adding bodies is not the sole consideration. While quantity is important, quality is paramount, which is why we will be forced to postpone some decisions. In terms of both quality and system."

Follow

for the