ESPN pundit Shaka Hislop urges Chelsea to keep club captain Cesar Azpilicueta for the upcoming 2022/23 season.
Blues defender Azpilicueta, 32, has been an incredible servant at Stamford Bridge during his decade at the club.
The Spaniard has one year remaining on his current deal and has been linked with a transfer exit this summer. In fact, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel previously detailed honest conversations with the player where he suggested his cycle may be at its end.
However, a fresh report this week suggests that Azpilicueta’s potential transfer to Camp Nou to join Barcelona may be under threat. It’s been claimed the Blues may no longer be prepared to sell to Barca.
Hislop urges Chelsea to keep Azpilicueta
ESPN’s Hislop thinks it would be a smart move to keep ‘Azpi’ another year.
The £150,000-a-week star’s versatility to play centre-back or wing-back to an excellent standard makes him pivotal to the squad, so losing him would require a major replacement.
“He (Azpilicueta) is club captain and an integral part of that set-up,” Hislop told ESPN.
“If you’re Chelsea and there’s not an absolute need to sell, and you feel you can convince Azpilicueta to at least stay on for a little while longer, absolutely you do it.”
Defensive options
If the club can’t sign any new defenders, they simply can’t afford to let a player like Azpilicueta go.
It would be great to come to a solution where all parties are happy, especially because he’s been a fantastic professional and immense player in Chelsea colours.
However, there’s a worry right now around the defensive options going into the new campaign.
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