Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta has put pen to paper to a new contract extending his stay at the West London club.
The 29 year old has committed his future for four more years which means the Spanish international will be at the club till 2022. With Gary Cahill not having enough chances, Azpilicueta has been handed the captain’s armband this season.
Starting with Jose Mourinho, then Antonio Conte and now Maurizio Sarri, Azpilicueta has been a trusted aide of all the Chelsea managers and has settled seamlessly into their plans.
With Conte mainly preferring a three man backline he was used in the heart of the Blues defence. But Sarri has been using a four man backline and the Spanish international has been put back to his favourite right back position.
Azpilicueta said, “I am really happy to extend my stay here at Chelsea. Since I came, I felt the joy and responsibility to play for this club, these fans, and every time I go on the pitch I try do my best. Hopefully there is a lot to come and we can keep Chelsea where it belongs.”
Club director Marina Granovskaia added: “Cesar is one of our longest-serving players and has proven to be a fantastic acquisition over the past six years. His professionalism and consistency in that time have been second to none and he has also developed into one of the squad’s most influential players.
“This new contract will take Cesar to 10 seasons at Chelsea, and we hope that over the next four years he will be a key part of our success.”
