Chelsea veteran Cesar Azpilicueta .
According to ESPN, Cesar Azpilicueta is likely to leave Chelsea next summer amidst the ongoing issues with his contract extension.
The 32-year-old defender arrived nearly 10 years ago at Stamford Bridge and has been one of the standout players since then. His versatility, which allows him to play in several roles across the backline, has also proven instrumental over the years.
The defender is an integral part of the team under Thomas Tuchel but has fallen down the pecking order this season. He is in the final year of his contract and is apparently attracted by the prospect of a new challenge.
Barcelona are interested in signing the player, as are Atletico Madrid. Azpilicueta is not pushing to leave the West London club, but while talks are active, some sources claim that there are issues over the length of the deal. Some members of the Chelsea staff also ‘fear’ that the Spaniard might exit the club in the summer.
The Spanish international was part of the rock-hard defence that secured the Champions League title last season. He has also proved helpful in a lot of tough situations when deputising in the wing-back role despite his slight lack of pace.
However, his leadership qualities might be his best quality at the moment. There are few leaders in this current Chelsea side, and the centre-back is also the longest-serving member of the contingent. He needs to lead from the front rather than jump ship to his home country.
He might wish to go back to Spain one day but next summer is not the right time if the club’s interests are concerned. Thomas Tuchel still needs some time to get us playing at the level of Man City and Liverpool and our club captain should not depart amidst this process.
The Blues need to tie him down to a new deal as soon as possible as the morale of the squad could also take a hit if the defender leaves next summer. Azpilicueta has been a cog in the side for the longest time, and his tenacity and desire on the pitch makes it crucial for us to keep him at the club for a couple more years.
And in all honesty, we cannot blame the Spaniard if he is not attracted by the prospect of staying at Chelsea for longer. It is the job of the club to make sure they can get the team captain to stay as long as he serves their best interests; which he can, considering the contract situations of several other centre-backs.
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