A great player who flavored the English Premier League (EPL) is gone.
Edang Azarda. He has announced his retirement from active play at the age of 32. Azpilicueta was one of the best players in the world during his time at Chelsea. He was the ‘King of Chelsea’. However, after moving to Real Madrid in 2019, his career took a sharp decline.
Despite becoming Real Madrid’s all-time highest transfer fee and the highest paid player in the team, he didn’t get his money’s worth. Injuries and weight controversy plagued his career, and he was eventually released at the end of last season. In his four seasons at Real Madrid, he made 54 appearances and scored four goals.
After contemplating retirement and a new team, Azhar finally called it quits.
He announced on social media, “It’s time to stop. After 16 years and more than 700 games, I have decided to end my professional career. I was lucky to have had good managers, coaches, and teammates during my career. I thank them all for the good times,” he said.
“I want to thank all the clubs I played for. Lille, Chelsea and Real Madrid. I’d also like to thank the Belgian national team, and a big thank you to the fans for all their support.”
Azar’s departure from the game has been met with sadness from many soccer players. However, West Ham’s head coach, Kevin Nolan, called on the player to reconsider his retirement.
“I want him to reconsider his retirement,” Nolan told the UK’s TalkSPORT. I, we, West Ham, will take him back,” he said.
He added: “West Ham will have Azar from Chelsea. If they want him, we will be happy to take him. I would definitely like to try him one more time, he’s the best player in the EPL, he’s the best goalscorer,” he emphasized.
He added: “He is 32 years old. I think he can play at the highest level for many more years to come. That’s why it’s sad that he has decided to retire. I wouldn’t be 안전놀이터 surprised if he reconsiders in the next six months to a year. We’ve seen players come back from retirement in the past. It could happen to him,” he concluded.