Frank Lampard has now taken to Instagram to react after Chelsea announced the departure of Cesar Azpilicueta.
The Spain international has left Stamford Bridge to join Atlético Madrid on a free transfer.
So, what did Frank Lampard write after hearing that Cesar Azpilicueta had left Chelsea? Let’s take a look…
What’s the story?
Well, the 45-year-old sent his old teammate a heartfelt message after his 11-year stay at Chelsea came to an end.
Lampard wrote on Instagram: “Fantastic Azpi. A true legend. Talent, desire, work ethic. An inspiration to everyone. Good luck!”
Azpilicueta and Lampard share a unique relationship, having worked together at Chelsea in two different ways.
The Spaniard shared a pitch with the Englishman on 58 occasions, winning the UEFA Europa League together in 2013.
Lampard then handed Azpilicueta 71 appearances after becoming his manager at Stamford Bridge.
Clearly, there is a huge amount of respect between the pair, and it was nice to see Lampard reach out to the 33-year-old on Instagram after his exit from Chelsea was made official.
Azpilicueta leaves a huge gap in Pochettino’s Chelsea squad
While it is fair to say that Azpilicueta’s effectiveness on the pitch was beginning to wane, his impact in the dressing room should not be understated – he was a proper leader at Stamford Bridge.
Now, Mauricio Pochettino only has one player over the age of 30 who is expected to be involved at Chelsea next season in Thiago Silva, so the Argentine is lacking some experienced heads in his squad.
The likes of Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Carney Chukwuemeka, Armando Broja and others make up a very, very young Chelsea side, so in our view, Chelsea should probably look to replace Azpilicueta with someone of similar experience, albeit not necessarily another defender.
Hopefully, Pochettino’s task at Chelsea is not made to be more difficult by the departure of the Spaniard.
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