Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta has extended his stay in west London for another two years, putting an end to Barcelona’s long-running chase of the 32-year-old; the Spanish defender joined Chelsea from Marseille in 2012; Azpilicueta: “I am really happy to extend my stay at Chelsea, my home”
Previously, GOAL stated that Barca had given up on completing the veteran’s transfer. Along with Robert Lewandowski, who joined the club from Bayern Munich in a €50 million (£42 million/$51 million) move last month, Azpilicueta was initially a top target for the Spanish powerhouses ahead of the summer transfer season.
A new challenge at Camp Nou had apparently interested Azpilicueta, who was entering the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge, however Chelsea made it clear that their skipper is not for sale.
Your captain. Azpi is here to stay! 👊
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 4, 2022
Why Did Barcelona Pull Out?
For a couple of days, Barcelona and the Chelsea had been in direct communication when Boehly stepped in to say he would not be approving the Spain international’s move.
The Catalan club even made an offer to include a few first-team players in any deal that ultimately materialized, but they have already given up on trying to sign Azpilicueta and will now look at other possibilities.
“We are so happy that Cesar is staying at Chelsea for a minimum of two more years,” Boehly stated. “We are thrilled with our captain showing his exemplary commitment and leadership yet again. There is still so much to do together.”
What Was Azpilicueta’s Response To The New Contract?
The Chelsea captain said “I am really happy to extend my stay at Chelsea, my home,” Azpilicueta said. “It is almost 10 years since I first arrived and joined the club so I really feel the love and I am really excited for the new project we have in our hands.
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“I would like to say thank you to Mr Todd and Mr Behdad for giving me the opportunity to keep my journey at this amazing club and I am really looking forward to continuing our adventure. I am a really proud captain and I hope we can share many good memories together.”
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