Atletico Madrid has activated a clause in the contract of Cesar Azpilicuetaextending his stay at the club until 2025. Azpilicueta joined Atletico for free from Chelsea last summer after becoming a free agent, and has been largely restricted to a secondary role.
The versatile defender has played 22 times this season, registering an assist, although only 11 of those were starts. He has been out of action since January, after tearing the meniscus in his knee against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey.
According to Marca, he had his agreement extended, with Atletico appreciating his contributions on the field, but also off it. He is set to return in April if all goes to plan with his recovery.
After the renewal of Stefan Savic last week, it means that the focus will move to Mario Hermoso, Koke Resurreccion, and Axel Witsel, who are all out of contract in the summer. Hermoso and Witsel are undoubtedly the heart of Diego Simeone's defense this season, leaving some doubt as to how they will fare in the upcoming campaign.
