Chelsea sent clear message by fans as Cesar Azpiliceuta adds to trophy haul

Chelsea v Palmeiras: Match in pics

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Chelsea beat Palmeiras in the FIFA Club World Cup final on Saturday night. The Blues were far from their best on the evening, but the performance of captain Cesar Azpilicueta certainly caught the eye.

Thomas Tuchel’s side had Kai Havertz to thank for being the hero in another cup final as he converted the all-important, match-win penalty in the 117th minute.

Romelu Lukaku scored the opener against the Brazilian side in the 55th minute, heading home from close range after good work from Callum Hudson-Odoi down the left.

But Chelsea’s lead lasted just nine minutes after Thiago Silva was adjudged to have handled the ball inside his own box, and Raphael Veiga equalised from the penalty spot.

The Blues were far from their best on the night, but the leadership and quality of Azpilicueta shone through.

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The Spaniard is out of contract at the end of the season and the future of the 32-year-old is unknown.

Reece James has made the right wing-back role his own and was one of the club’s best players before sustaining an injury against Brighton in December.

But Azpilicueta has stepped up in the absence of the England international, and his performance against Palmeiras led many to call for the Blues to renew the contract of their club captain.

One supporter tweeted: “Sign him up.”

Whilst another responded to a photo of Azpilicueta with Tuchel by saying: “Extend his contract.”

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Another tweeted: “He has won it all. In fact, he has completed football”, referencing that the defender has now won every trophy that Chelsea have competed for whilst at the club.

Barcelona were reportedly interested in signing Azpilicueta in the January transfer window as Xavi looked to help his former club return to the top of the La Liga.

However, a deal never materialised and instead, the Spanish manager opted to bring Brazilian defender Dani Alves back to the Nou Camp.

It remains to be seen whether the Catalan club decides to return for Azpilicueta at the end of the season, or whether the defender will commit his future to Chelsea if an offer is put on the table.

But it is not just Azpilicueta who is in the final twelve months of their contract at Stamford Bridge.

Fellow defenders Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger are both set to depart at the end of the season, though rumours have circulated that talks are ongoing with the representatives of both stars.

If the aforementioned trio all depart when the season concludes then Tuchel will be left looking for young stars such as Trevoh Chalobah and Malang Sarr to step up on a more regular basis, though neither will be able to provide the leadership and expertise of Azpilicueta.

Additionally, the Blues would also be short of cover for James and thus could be tempted to dip into the transfer market to recruit players in several different positions, and will need to if they are to close the gap in quality between themselves and Manchester City going forward.

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