Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta has signed a two-year contract with and has decided against joining Barcelona in the summer. The Spaniard was linked to a move to Camp Nou but has decided to pledge his future to Thomas Tuchel’s side.
Mr. Chelsea. Two more years. 💙 pic.twitter.com/j8lYVl3km4
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 4, 2022
Cesar Azpilicueta Set to Stay at Chelsea
Azpilicueta Signs Sign New Contract With Premier League Heavyweights
Not only has the 32-year-old snubbed a move to the La Liga giants, but has also agreed to a new deal with the Premier League side. His previous deal was set to expire in 2023, but he’s decided to sign a two-year extension which will keep him at Stamford Bridge until at least 2024.
The 32-year-old wanted his future resolved before the start of the Premier League season, something Barcelona couldn’t guarantee him. Gerard Romero adds that the Blaugrana asked him to wait a few more days and let them resolve their financial fair-play issues, but the right-back made up his mind to stay at Chelsea.
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He has even told Xavi Hernandez about his decision as well. The Spain international will now start the new campaign with the Blues, whom he has been a part of since 2012 and won all the major trophies with.
🚨 Barcelona will not sign Cesar Azpilicueta this summer. The player will renew his contract at Chelsea by a further two years – it will be official in the next few hours.
He told Xavi of his decision this morning.
(Source: @gerardromero) pic.twitter.com/9eirpHr1La
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) August 4, 2022
Chelsea Finally Win a Battle Against Barcelona This Summer
Chelsea and Barcelona have been at odds with each other throughout the summer transfer window, with the Spanish side leaving them red-faced on multiple occasions. The Blues initially wanted to sign Ousmane Dembele on a free transfer, only for him to re-sign with the La Liga outfit.
The Blaugrana even managed to win the race to sign Raphinha, even after it looked like the Blues were close to agreeing on a deal with Leeds United for him. And finally, Chelsea also missed out on the signing of French international Jules Kounde – despite being close to his acquisition – as he opted to join remain in Spain.
Read More: Chelsea Receive Boost in Wesley Fofana Deal
So seeing their captain refuse to bail ship and stick with them must be sweet for Tuchel’s side. Azpilicueta is a respected leader in the locker room, with Thiago Silva calling him ‘a spectacular guy’ and praising his leadership skills earlier this year as well.
