Cesar Azpilicueta has confessed that he did take into account leaving Chelsea for Barcelona however felt an obligation to be loyal to the Blues within the wake of their takeover this summer season.
The membership captain noticed an computerized one-year extension triggered in his contract final season to stop him changing into a free agent, however talks remained on with Barcelona over a doable switch to La Liga.
Chelsea had been open to granting Azpilicueta an exit as a present of respect for his ten years of service, though supervisor Thomas Tuchel was all the time adamant he wished the 32-year-old to remain. He finally bought his want as Azpilicueta inked a brand new two-year contract.
On his rollercoaster of a summer season, the defender advised the Normal: “Sure, the conversations have been there [with Barcelona], throughout the membership.
“After the Membership World Cup, the place I turned the one participant to ever win each trophy, [I felt] it was the time to return to Spain. However then every part occurred with this membership. I wished to remain dedicated. I by no means did something towards my membership. We had non-public conversations the place I stated every part.
“I’ve by no means been in a switch market scenario in 10 years. It was totally different. The final time was Marseille and this time the contract scenario made it totally different as a result of I had this clause [to extend my deal] after a variety of video games.
“For a interval I used to be a free agent and who is aware of what may have occurred then? I made a decision to remain silent as a result of there was already sufficient noise round me. I didn’t need to make it worse as a result of I wished to remain centered on my recreation.”
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Successful that Membership World Cup – the one piece of silverware lacking from Azpilicueta’s CV on the time – was an enormous second for Azpilicueta and one which prompted important reflection in regards to the future.
“It was a turning level,” he acknowledged. “I attempted so laborious to win this trophy. At that second I felt in a different way. At that second it was like, ‘wow, I’ve received every part for this membership’, so possibly a brand new chapter arrives. It’s true that on the final break my performances have been not so good as earlier than.
“I paid an enormous worth for taking part in from December to February. I feel I performed essentially the most minutes and I did it taking part in wing-back. After all, I’m not getting youthful and it’s a place that calls for a number of vitality each three days.
“I feel all of the feelings, emotions and tiredness made me really feel like this. Within the final two months [of the season], I wasn’t pretty much as good bodily as earlier than.”
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