Cesar Azpilicueta leaves Chelsea for Atletico Madrid after record-breaking spell for club legend

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Evening Standard

·6 July 2023

Cesar Azpilicueta leaves Chelsea for Atletico Madrid after record-breaking spell for club legend

C

esar Azpilicueta has ended his record-breaking spell with Chelsea by signing for Atletico Madrid.

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A transfer to the Spanish capital has been sealed despite the club captain having a year left to run on his contract.

Standard Sport previously reported on Chelsea’s agreement to let Azpilicueta, 33, leave of his own volition following his commitment to the club over an 11-year stay.

In that time, the defender has made over 500 appearances - the most of any non-English player - for Chelsea and won a host of honours including the Champions League and two Premier Leagues.

Azpilicueta becomes only the latest Chelsea player to leave this summer after Mason Mount and Kai Havertz were sold for a combined fee of £125m.

The Blues have also allowed Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Lofuts-Cheek to depart while N’Golo Kante joined Al-Ittihad with the expiration of his contract.