Christensen has gone from strength to strength under the German head coach, but doubts remain over the future of the defender.
Follow Us
The future of in-form Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen, who is out of contract in the summer, has been the topic of debate in recent weeks. Christensen has gone from strength to strength under the German head coach, but doubts remain over the future of the defender. Both Christensen and his manager Thomas Tuchel have expressed their intention of wanting the player to extend his stay with the club beyond the summer. He scored his first Blues goal earlier in the season and contributed to the team’s exceptional defensive solidity that is helping the side maintain their grip at the top of the Premier League table.
Head coach Tuchel has informed that he is still waiting for the good news regarding the future of Christensen. The Danish international has been on the Chelsea bench for the last three matches. “No, it is the opposite,” Tuchel replied when asked if a lack of playing time hinders his chances of a new deal. “We have to hope that it influences the contract situation a little bit. My understanding was that it is a matter of a very short period that we have good news.
“I said this in the national break, that for me it is a matter of days that we think that we can have good news about Andreas. As I understand it, the club want the same, and so do the coach and player. That is to stay, and that’s why we need the commitment and then we can continue.”
Tuchel has now put the onus on the Dane’s camp to finalise the negotiations and sign a long-term future with the Stamford Bridge outfit. “We have been waiting since a long time now for confirmation and it is on Andreas to act how he acts on the pitch. He needs to act now off the pitch and walk the talk because he tells us he loves Chelsea and that he wants to stay,” said Tuchel.
“He says he wants to be a big part of this club, because he is a big part, and I think he is a perfect fit. He is not done here yet and his career is far from finished at Chelsea. He can still develop and be a big player. But it is on him. We want the commitment and hopefully we get it.”
Even though Chelsea might have been disappointed at not getting the victory against Manchester United at the weekend, the sight of Romelu Lukaku back in the blue jersey after injury provided a welcome boost for the club. The Belgian forward had been absent since suffering a foul that left him hobbling off the pitch in some pain during the victory over Malmo on 20th October.
“We gave him some minutes, and that helps him psychologically,” said Tuchel. “He is happy, he smiles every day, he is determined, and he trains on a very high level. Once we are of the opinion he is fully free, he is ready to go and contribute what he can, which is a lot. He is with the team and a big chance to play [tonight].
He added: “We believe he can make the difference for us but at the same time we will be patient. He is a big guy, and a big guy with an ankle injury in my opinion needs a bit of time because he puts heavy weight on his ankle for turning, acceleration, deceleration. This is a crucial part of these movements.
“We have showed with and without him we are capable of scoring and winning, and it’s a process of adapting both ways. The most important thing is he gains fitness and a physical level where he can start for us. The rest will take care of itself because Romelu is a winner, a champion and is hungry for more.”
