The defender has been captain for our Premier League games this season, and is now just two appearances away from reaching 300 games in Chelsea blue. He will become only the seventh overseas player in our history to reach that considerable landmark.
Upon signing the new deal, Azpilicueta said: ‘I am really happy to extend my stay here at Chelsea. Since I came, I felt the joy and responsibility to play for this club, these fans, and every time I go on the pitch I try do my best. Hopefully there is a lot to come and we can keep Chelsea where it belongs.’
Club director Marina Granovskaia added: ‘Cesar is one of our longest-serving players and has proven to be a fantastic acquisition over the past six years. His professionalism and consistency in that time have been second to none and he has also developed into one of the squad’s most influential players.
‘This new contract will take Cesar to 10 seasons at Chelsea, and we hope that over the next four years he will be a key part of our success.’
The 29-year-old joined Chelsea in August 2012, shortly after we had lifted the Champions League, and gradually established himself as a versatile and reliable member of the team that lifted the Europa League in 2013.
The following season Azpilicueta dislodged Ashley Cole as our first-choice left-back and was named the Chelsea Players’ Player of the Year. The Spanish international, who has eight Chelsea goals to his name, has maintained those high levels throughout his time in west London, and his consistency as a member of the meanest defence in the country in 2014/15 played a major part in our Premier League triumph.
We also lifted the League Cup that season, and since then Azpilicueta has added two more winner’s medals to his burgeoning collection.
As the right-sided defender in a back three he didn’t miss a minute of the glorious 2016/17 title-winning campaign, and last season, when we won the FA Cup for the first time since he joined from Marseille, he helped us record a critical clean sheet in the final against Manchester United.
Azpilicueta is yet to miss a minute of Premier League football this season as we continue to challenge at the top of the table. On Sunday, against Fulham, he showed his importance to the team by switching to left-back midway through the second half as a seventh league shutout was recorded.
We will now continue to enjoy Azpi’s dependability and consistency for many more years to come!
CHELSEAFC
