Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta has signed a new three-year-and-half deal that will keep him at Stamford Bridge till 2020 says the club. The Spaniard joined The Blues from Ligue 1 outfit Marseille in 2012 for a fee of £7 million.
Many had no idea who he was when he arrived England and as at when he signed for the Abrahamovic-owned club, many took him to be nothing more than a “back-up-perfomer” in Chelsea’s defence orchestra.
Four years on and fans can hardly point out a more professional, dedicated and hardworking player than the former Marseille man. Throughout his stay, many coaches have come and gone and not once have the Spaniard seen himself out of favour – the stats are there for everyone to see – thanks to his astonishing ability in adapting to just about any position he’s asked to play.
He has slowly earned his place in the Chelsea team, and in the CHelsea fans hearts - with many fans on this website saying that watching him play was one of the key reasons for buying tickets to see Chelsea!
Speaking after signing the new deal, the Spaniard said he was “really happy to have signed a new contract. Since I arrived here, my target was to progress as a player and win trophies. This new contract gives me the chance to continue my relationship with the club. That’s what I wanted and obviously I’m really happy here,” he added.
The club’s technical director Michael Emenalo also added that he is “delighted Cesar has chosen to extend his stay.” He also commended Cesar for his “incredible and undiluted commitment to the Chelsea cause. He has proved himself to be an excellent professional and a top player which he shows in every single training session and match,” added the Nigeria born.
Club manager Antonio Conte during Tuesday’s press conference said he was “pleased for him,” adding that: “He’s impressed me a lot with his commitment, his work rate, his ability to play also in different roles. He’s a good professional and I’m pleased for him and above all the club and the fans, a really good player has signed.”
Chelsea face relegation-battling Sunderland on Wednesday night at the Stadium of Light in a match that will see Azpilicueta make his 200th appearance for Chelsea. He’s also started all 15 Premier League matches so far and has been flourishing in Conte’s 3-4-3 formation all thanks to his adaptability once more.