The 33-year-old defender appeared to be heading towards free agency at Stamford Bridge when his contract ran down in 2021-22, but regular football in west London led to fresh terms being tabled that will take him through to 2024. Azpilicueta believes staying in England was the right decision for him, despite attracting interest from back in his native Spain, with the club captain at Chelsea happy to be closing in on 500 appearances for the Blues.
WHAT THEY SAID: Azpilicueta has told Cadena Ser of remaining with Premier League heavyweights that now have new owners at the helm: “At Chelsea, if I had played less than 30 games and then I was already a free agent. It had never happened to me in my life. The new owners arrived and they showed me the desire to stay for me.”
The veteran full-back added on snubbing interest from Camp Nou: “London is my home and my children speak better English than Spanish. When I made the decision, I think Xavi understood it. If things are clear, they are understood.”