There was a point last summer where we would say we were more than 90% sure that Cesar Azpilicueta would go to Barcelona.
Chelsea were signing players left right and centre, and Azpi looked like he was at a natural moment to leave. The club in his home country wanted him, and replacements were being lined up.
In the end it didn’t happen, and Azpi has finally revealed why that was.
He says it was down to the new owners, who were not as willing to see him leave as Roman Abramovich had been.
“The new Chelsea owners have changed my situation, they wanted to keep me at all costs despite contract situation — I told that to Barcelona. I’m sure Xavi understood my point. Also, London is my home,” the defender said in quotes picked up by CaughtOffside.
In the end, another year of Azpi will be useful for everyone, and the fact that Reece James has spent most of this first part of the season injured was a good reminder of why letting the captain go before we had a replacement would have been mad.
He can move on next summer – and hopefully Barca are still keen.
