Report: Cesar Azpilicueta, Chelsea Agree to New Contract

Cesar Azpilicueta has reportedly become the next Chelsea player to agree to a new contract, with an official announcement on the agreement expected soon.

According to Matt Law of the Telegraph, he's the third Blues player to agree to a new deal in two months, following Marco Alonso and N'Golo Kante.

The Blues are working on a contract for Eden Hazard as well, but while they wait for the Belgian to decide, they've already secured three other key men.

Azpilicueta has been an automatic starter for some time and has featured in every Chelsea Premier League match this season.

He's drawn high praise from pundit Ian Holloway:

The new deal will reportedly run until 2022, with his current contract scheduled to run out two years earlier. He will also see a slight increase in his wages, with £30,000 per week added to his current £120,000-per-week salary.

While Azpilicueta's spot in the team has never been in doubt, there have been some links between the Blues and other full-backs. Telesport (h/t Rich Jones of the Daily Mirror on Saturday) were the latest to state manager Maurizio Sarri is keen on a reunion with Napoli's Elseid Hysaj.

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The 29-year-old has been with the club since 2012 and has captained the side this season, with Gary Cahill spending most of his time on the sidelines.

According to Law, the centre-back will be allowed to leave the club on loan in January, with a permanent exit expected in the summer.

Callum Hudson-Odoi has reportedly also received a contract offer, but he will take his time to decide his future. The 18-year-old hasn't seen much playing time yet this season, and an increase in minutes will likely be vital to secure his long-term services.