Cesar Azpilicueta praises Chelsea signings as Jorginho and Kepa mark Premier League debuts with win

Action Images via Reuters
Joe Krishnan11 August 2018

Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta was full of praise for new signings Kepa Arrizabalaga and Jorginho as Chelsea begun life under Maurizio Sarri with a 3-0 win over Huddersfield Town.

Jorginho, making his Premier League debut after a £57 million move from Napoli, coolly slotted home a first-half penalty after Marcos Alonso was brought down.

It was also Kepa's first appearance for the Blues just three days after arriving from Athletic Bilbao in a £71 million deal and the 23-year-old looked assured in goal, keeping a clean sheet.

Azpilicueta, who was named captain with Gary Cahill on the bench, believes that the pair have adapted well to their new surroundings.

"Our signings have been very good," Azpilicueta told BBC's Match of the Day.

In Pictures | Huddersfield vs Chelsea | 11/08/2018

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"They are adapting very quickly to the team and being comfortable in the the team, and we have a very good squad."

"It's true when we created chances we were clinical. The goal just before half-time was massive going into the second-half.

"It meant we could control the game and we could have scored more goals in the end. In the first-half every ball and every cross was dangerous for them."

New coach Maurizio Sarri has changed the formation from three to four at the back, which has impacted Azpilicueta's role, but the 28-year-old believes his appointment will benefit the team.

"We have been working really hard with him," the Spaniard added. "He knows what he wants and our target was to start really well which we have done and now we must get ready for Arsenal."

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