Tuchel not worried about César Azpilicueta contract

Chelsea captain, leader, Dave, César Azpilicueta is one of several defenders on the team with a contract expiring at the end of the season, but as far as priorities and worries are concerned, he’s pretty low down on the list.

Head coach Thomas Tuchel isn’t too worried about things either, even if Azpilicueta has seen plenty of action this season thanks in part to his ironman ability to rarely be injured.

“I don’t see any problem here. The situation between Azpi, me and the club is very clear. He is our captain. He has all possibilities to stay here as long as possible and become the legend he already is. He is a fantastic captain and a fantastic player.

“If there are some weeks where he does not play so much, like in the last weeks, there are some reasons. [...] That’s how it is. If there is any player who knows it is like this, it’s Azpi. He is very calm. He has everything in his own hands. I see no signs we should be worried about it.”

-Thomas Tuchel; source: Metro

Sounds like Azpilicueta controls his own destiny. With tenuous links back to Spain, he could have several options to choose from, including staying at Chelsea on a customary (for players over 30) one-year contract.

From Chelsea’s perspective, re-signing him is surely a no-brainer, provided he wants to stay. His skills and physical abilities may be fading a bit more noticeably these days — he will be 33 in the summer, after all — but his leadership, experience, and versatility are always useful qualities. We may be in for a major defensive overhaul over the next couple transfer windows, but sometimes it’s good to have a few old veterans around, too.