Chelsea captain Azpilicueta sacks contract early to join Atletico Madrid on a freelance basis

Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta has sacked his contract with the club early to join Atletico Madrid on a freelance basis. The 32-year-old Spaniard had one year remaining on his contract at Stamford Bridge, but he has opted to take advantage of a clause in his deal that allows him to leave for free if another club matches his salary demands.

Azpilicueta has been a key player for Chelsea since joining the club from Marseille in 2012. He has made over 400 appearances for the Blues, winning two Premier League titles, two Europa League titles, and the Champions League in 2021.

The move to Atletico Madrid is a homecoming for Azpilicueta, who was born in Spain and began his career at Osasuna. He will be reunited with former Chelsea manager Diego Simeone at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

Azpilicueta is the latest high-profile player to leave Chelsea this summer. The club has also sold Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, and Romelu Lukaku.

The departures of Azpilicueta and other key players have raised questions about Chelsea's ability to compete for trophies next season. The club has been under a transfer embargo since February, after Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government.

However, Chelsea are hopeful that the embargo will be lifted soon, and they have already made a number of signings this summer, including Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Nathan Ake.

Azpilicueta's arrival will boost Atletico Madrid's chances of challenging for La Liga and the Champions League next season. The 32-year-old is a versatile defender who can play at right-back, left-back, or center-back. He is also a good leader and will be a valuable asset to the Atletico Madrid squad.