Chelsea forward Kai Havertz has praised the impact club captain Cesar Azpilicueta has had at Stamford Bridge and pointed to the help offered after completing his transfer from Bayer Leverkusen.
Azpilicueta's contract in west London is set to expire at the end of the current campaign and a departure as a free agent is now looking more and more likely.
The Spaniard was eager to sign a new two-year deal with the option of a third, while the Blues were not willing to commit to anything more than a one-year extension, with Azpilicueta now in his 30s.
Recent reports have suggested that the versatile defender has now moved on and has an agreement in place with Barcelona for a free transfer this summer.
The news came from Spanish outlet SPORT, who say Azpilicueta has a "deal in principle" in place to move to the Camp Nou at the end of the 2021-22 campaign.
The 32-year-old won the final available trophy from his time with Chelsea on Saturday, lifting the Club World Cup after the Blues beat Palmeiras 2-1 in the final.
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It was Havertz who scored the winning goal, coolly converting from the penalty spot but only after Azpilicueta had helped attract the mind games of the Palmeiras players by setting up like he was going to take the kick.
In an interview with German website Sport1 Havertz has now praised his captain for the action.
"Many goalkeepers are now preparing intensively for penalties and the shooters," he said.
"At the same time, the opponents try to influence and unsettle the shooter. I can deal with that well, but our tactics helped me focus and prepare in peace. Opponents must have been confused."
But perhaps most notably was what Havertz said about Azpilicueta's role around the club, particularly how much he helped him settle at Stamford Bridge following his club-record move from Leverkusen.
"We have a great team and great team spirit," Havertz continued.
"Otherwise we wouldn't have won all the titles. Azpi is just a great person and captain who I really appreciate. He helped me from day one and made it easier for me to arrive."
It is a reminder to Thomas Tuchel and the Chelsea board that in losing Azpilicueta they will not just be losing a great player but also his hidden qualities; an ability to galvanise his teammates and make new arrivals embed into the squad quickly.
Havertz's impact in big finals is testament to that and is something they cannot afford to lose.
