Chelsea players left ‘bewildered’ by the contract standstill between the club and Cesar Azpilicueta
According to Eurosport, some Chelsea players have been left bewildered by the contract situation of club captain Cesar Azpilicueta.
The Spaniard has been a loyal servant at the club since arriving in the summer of 2012. Since then, he has won nearly every single trophy there is to win. The FIFA Club World Cup in February is the cherry on top of his glorious career.
However, that could be one of the last trophies he lifts as a Chelsea player. The defender shall be out of contract in the summer and is yet to sign an extension. Due to this, some players have been left bewildered since he is the one that dons the armband.
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are monitoring his situation in the meantime. The 33-year-old is apparently in the dark over the intentions of the club about him, courtesy of which he is keeping his options open.
We need Azpi to stay
Thomas Tuchel is in a tough spot with his backline as Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger, and Andreas Christensen could also leave as free agents at the end of the season. There is still hope that the Danish defender can sign a new deal. But it looks like Rudiger would depart Stamford Bridge next summer.
However, the only player out of this quartet every supporter would have expected to pen a new deal would have been Azpilicueta. The Spanish international has been the driving force behind our quest to win the biggest trophies in the last decade.
His incredible performance in the latter stages of our Champions League triumph is a testament to his quality despite his ageing body. A return to his home country could be tempting, but without him, we lack a leader, something that has proved crucial in title-winning sides in recent history.
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The right-back might not be the first name on the team sheet anymore, but his importance has not been minimized. We have a relatively young squad as compared to other teams. And it is crucial to tie down Azpilicueta to a new contract so that he can continue leading this side for a couple more years.
Even if he is no longer the first name on the team sheet, it is important for us to show our appreciation for his services while keeping in mind that at 32, Azpilicueta, who can also play at right-back, still has a few years of football left in him.