Thomas Tuchel is delighted to have seen an automatic extension triggered in the contract of Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta, with the hope being that Antonio Rudiger will offer more cause for celebration in the coming weeks.
Long-serving Spaniard, Azpilicueta, has seen his deal tick over for another 12 months after reaching 35 appearances this season, with that agreement pushed through despite the restrictions currently in place at Stamford Bridge when it comes to signing paperwork.
Azpilicueta will be staying on, rather than hitting free agency, as the terms of his contract were already in place before club owner Roman Abramovich saw his assets frozen by the UK government.
What has been said?
Blues boss Tuchel is pleased and relieved to see his skipper sticking around for at least one more season, telling reporters of the clause in Azpilicueta’s contract: “I knew it was going to happen because I knew the amount of games before it was going to happen. It was so close.
“It’s a good thing, we were aware of it. It’s good news for us. We have a contract, he’s our captain, it’s a very high possibility he will stay.
“I knew it all the time that this is very likely to happen because he is a regular starter with us. I knew the amount of games we needed to make him stay, to make his contract continue or extend.
“That’s why I am very happy, you know how much I rely on him and how much impact he has in this group and this club. It’s very good news for us.”
Will Rudiger sign a new contract?
Getty/GOALAzpilicueta had sparked talk of interest from Barcelona before hitting the 35-game mark this season, with Chelsea unlikely to sanction his sale this summer.
Germany international Rudiger may well be on the move, though, as he is yet to commit his future to the west London club.
Barca are also sniffing around there, as they close in on a deal for another Blues centre-half in the form of Andreas Christensen, while Real Madrid, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked with the commanding 29-year-old.
Tuchel is still hoping that Rudiger can be talked into prolonging his association with Chelsea and said of the reports suggesting that “secret” talks have already been opened with those at Camp Nou: “If it’s true, of course (it’s worrying). I would try to meet him if I was any other club!
“He’s still our player, we still think there’s a good chance he stays our player once things are solved.
“This situation is the situation at the moment, our hands are tied. We cannot speak, negotiate with him and his agent.
“Fair enough if it’s true that he listens to other offers. That’s the way things go but I am still confident.”
Tuchel added on hearing Barcelona president Joan Laporta admit to having a defender deal lined up, with Danish star Christensen considered to be that man: “We heard he rumours, the same rumours.
“I have no confirmation for you as I did not speak to Andreas about it at the moment but we heard the same rumours.”
