It was during the January international break that I wrote a piece for football.london which focused on Cesar Azpilicueta's future at Chelsea. My view was the Spaniard, a club legend and one of the finest defenders to have played in the Premier League, should be allowed to walk away at the end of his contract.
The reasons why were myriad. And I stand by many of them. However, the Chelsea of March 2022 – and beyond – is very different to the Chelsea of January 2022. It's why previous convictions must be revisited and reflected upon. Why attitudes towards players and their futures can change.
Over the last two months, Azpilicueta has completed his trophy haul at Chelsea. The Club World Cup was the only piece of silverware missing but thanks to victory over Palmeiras in February, the 32-year-old has won it all with the Blues. It is a remarkable feat, one the likes of Petr Cech, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba couldn't manage.
