Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel appeared convinced that Barcelona target Cesar Azpilicueta would be at his disposal next season.
The Spanish defender reportedly had a clause in his contract that would be triggered in the case of him reaching a certain number of appearances. There had been some doubt about whether Chelsea would either be able to exercise that option due to their sanctions or would so if Azpilicueta wasn’t on board with it.
Both of those doubts appear to have been removed this afternoon. Speaking to the media, Mundo Deportivo carried his words.
“I knew that [the contract extension] was going to happen, because I knew the number of matches [required]. It’s good news, we needed to make sure he stayed and extended his contract. It makes me happy, you know how much I trust him.”
🗣 "Our hands are tied, we can't speak to him, we can not renegotiate with him and his agents."
Thomas Tuchel on the situation around Antonio Rudiger potentially leaving Chelsea pic.twitter.com/nP0crVDhw6
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) April 1, 2022
Tuchel also gave an update on his compatriot Antonio Rudiger, who is out of contract this summer. Despite being linked with Real Madrid earlier in the season, pictures emerged this week showing Rudiger’s agent meeting with representatives of Barcelona.
“If it’s true, yeah of course [it worries me].”
“I would try to meet him if I was at any other club, but he is our player and I think we have a good chance he stays our player. The situation is what it is and we have our hands tied. We cannot speak with him, we cannot offer him anything, we can’t negotiate or renegotiate with him and his agent. Fair enough if he’s listens to other offers, but even so I am confident.”
