Confirmed: Top 3 potential candidates for Chelsea’s next captain as Azpilicueta set to leave club
As we all know Cesar Azpilicueta, the current captain of Chelsea, has performed admirably since replacing Gary Cahill as captain in 2019.
Over 200 games in all competitions have been played under the leadership of the Spain international for the Blues. The club with its home base in London won the UEFA Champions League in the 2020–21 campaign. Under Azpilicueta’s guidance, they also won the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup in 2021–2022.
The 32-year-old defender has, however, recently been mentioned in connection with a transfer away from Stamford Bridge. Barcelona are in direct touch with the Blues to sign Azpilicueta, claims transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano.
If the former Marseille player departs for Camp Nou this summer, the London-based club will need to name a new captain. The top three prospects for the position of Chelsea’s next captain are listed below.
Mason Mount: Mason Mount joined the Blues youth academy aged six in 2005. He worked through the Blues youth ranks to make his senior debut for the club in 2019.
He has played 105 league games for the Blues since then, establishing himself among the key members of the squad. Mount won the ‘Chelsea Player of the Season’ accolade twice, including last season. He was also included in the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season in the 2020-21 season.
The England international captained the Blues U18 team and also led Chelsea’s senior team on several occasions in the last two seasons. Mount, 23, is widely touted as the Blues’ future captain by fans and the media.
Thiago Silva: Thiago Silva is still an important member of the Blues’ starting XI, despite being 37 years old. The former Paris Saint-Germain defender played 32 games in the Premier League last term, registering three goals and 10 clean sheets.
The Brazil international is an experienced player, making over 700 club appearances as a professional footballer so far. He also has experience of captaining the PSG side under Thomas Tuchel at PSG.
Silva is an excellent captaincy candidate for the Blues if they are looking at short-term solutions.
Jorginho: Jorginho has been a consistent performer for the Blues since joining from Napoli in the summer transfer window of 2018. He has played 125 league games for the Blues so far, scoring 19 goals.