Thomas Tuchel believes Cesar Azpilicueta has earned the right to decide whether he remains at Chelsea for another season or departs for a new challenge after ten years at Stamford Bridge.
Azpilicueta, who was signed from French club Marseille in 2012, has won every major honour during his time at Chelsea and has spent the past three seasons as captain. He is a club legend. A player who sits alongside the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba in the list of the club's all-time greats.
Yet, at 32 years old, the Spaniard is entering the twilight of his glittering career – and a return to his homeland is understood to appeal. Barcelona have made their interest known and are believed to be willing to offer Azpilicueta a three-year contract at the Camp Nou.
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The defender's current Chelsea deal – courtesy of a one-year extension triggered in March – runs until 2023. So the Blues do not have to say goodbye to Azpilcieuta this summer. However, club legends, such as Drogba and Petr Cech, have previously been allowed to depart on their own terms, and Tuchel believes Azpilicueta is owed the same treatment.
"He deserves it," the Chelsea head coach said. "And I listen to my captain. He has been at this club for more than a decade, so he has this right. This is my opinion.
"He is everything Chelsea is about, and I am so, so happy he is the captain because he is humble, hard-working, a nice guy and a polite guy. I am happy that in football, it's possible a guy like this can win all the trophies. That sets the example. It sets the tone. It sets the atmosphere at a very high level.
"This is absolutely clear, but there are more layers and levels we have to consider. It is also whether he can give all that, whether he is fully committed. If he cannot get rid of this feeling [about wanting a new challenge], we have to talk about it openly, seriously, and respectfully because he deserves it.
"We [need to] find out if he can give everything that makes him special. I think, with all the respect, he can only be special if he is committed 100% and does not have another little voice in his head, not one concern in his head, that he should have done something differently.
"He is only the guy he is when he is fully committed. That is his foundation. So this is what we have to find out. That does not mean we find it out tomorrow or today, we still have time because we are also in the privileged position where we have a contract. We have to see."
Tuchel has stressed that no decision has been made by Azpilicueta or the club – and also revealed previous discussions have been held with the club captain over his future at Stamford Bridge.
"We had a lot of these talks because, very genuinely, it felt like he won everything after the Club World Cup," Tuchel explained. "So, given his personal situation, I can understand these thoughts that maybe a cycle is at its end. Then there's a change of ownership, and he played only under this owner in this structure, so it may have increased his second thoughts about his situation.
"But then his extension kicked in, and at the same time, he loves the club, he loves the challenge, he loves to be here, and he is our captain. So we are still in dialogue, and at some point, we are also selfish. We are not responsible to solve any other club's problems or to fulfil any other club's wishes.
"Given the fact we lose already key defenders, it's not the ideal scenario to think about losing Azpi, even if I can understand his personal point of view. If you are a legend, which he is, you deserve maybe also from me and the club a second look at it, is there may be an exception from the rule. We are still in this process."
