Latest updates on Chelsea’s out-of-contract centerbacks
Chelsea has put itself in a very peculiar situation. The Blues came into the 2021/22 campaign with six centerbacks in their ranks. Only two (Trevoh Chalobah and Malang Sarr) were under contract beyond this season. Fast forward to the end of January and the club has managed to get two individuals to put pen to paper on new deals. Chalobah and Thiago Silva have both extended their stays in SW6 beyond the current campaign. The former’s contract now expires in the summer of 2026. Meanwhile, the latter continues to take things step-by-step with another one-year deal. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to notice the exclusions from this conversation though.
The three defenders that Chelsea are guaranteed to house next season are very capable and exciting additions to any team. Nevertheless, the focus now remains on those who are set to become free agents. The Blues’ foundation at the back is just a few months away from being uprooted. Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger are now free to hold discussions with other European clubs about a pre-contract agreement. Chelsea supporters are worried—to say the least—and the club’s hierarchy should be, as well. As the winter transfer window nears its end, there has seemingly been little progress made in extension talks with the trio. This could prove to be a massive issue for Thomas Tuchel, but not all hope is lost just yet.
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Here are the latest news updates from three of the most reliable sources around the club (Fabrizio Romano, Matt Law and The Athletic) regarding Chelsea’s out-of-contract centerbacks:
1. Cesar Azpilicueta
If one were to survey supporters on the internet, Azpilicueta would have likely been on his way out a few seasons ago. This isn’t due to a lack of love for the captain, but he’s been rumored to be “on the decline” for the last few seasons. Of course, we all know this isn’t even close to being the case. The club captain, even at 32, looks incredibly comfortable playing in the starting XI a few times per week. Azpilicueta has been an important piece in Tuchel’s team since the German’s arrival last January. Therefore, it’s difficult to even imagine a Chelsea side without the Spaniard in it.
Azpilicueta has played in 27 matches already this season, breaking club records along the way. He’s not as impactful as Reece James when lining up as a right wingback, which is probably where the falsified tales of his demise came from, but he’s still obviously got a huge part to play.
Why have the Blues let his contract talks come to this when they know how important he is to the squad’s overall success? Simply put, it’s nothing out of the ordinary for Marina Granovskaia. In a recent article, Liam Twomey of The Athletic compared Azpilicueta’s contract talks to club legends that came before him. Namely John Terry and Frank Lampard. Both of the aforementioned Chelsea icons went into May before signing their last deals. This isn’t to say a potential new contract would be Azpilicueta’s last, we’re just nearing the back end of a legendary career.
Both sides are said to be incredibly comfortable, despite the delicacy of the situation. Azpilicueta is focused on his football and the club trust its captain will not hold talks with other clubs. There are obviously suitors for the Spaniard should he not extend. Barcelona is one of the many clubs reportedly interested in signing the versatile Chelsea defender, but it’s unlikely he leaves the club. Azpilicueta is a beloved figure in west London and both he and his family love life in the English capital. Overall, the most important thing to the 10-year veteran is playing time though. If Tuchel cannot promise his captain minutes then a departure starts to look possible. It’s very unlikely the situation comes to that though, especially considering how often he’s played this year.