Chelsea

Chelsea

Premier League • England

Thomas Tuchel makes impassioned plea, but reveals Chelsea ‘not happy’ over defender’s situation

Thomas Tuchel is well aware of the situation surrounding Andreas Christensen and has revealed that Chelsea are “not happy about it” with the defender set to leave in the summer.

Tuchel’s pre-Norwich press conference seemed like a desperate plea to reverse the decision of the Denmark defender. The 25-year-old has yet to sign a new deal with his existing contract due to expire in June.

Christensen is free to speak to teams from abroad and Barcelona have been heavily linked with a move for him. ESPN claim Barcelona’s talks to land Christensen are now ‘advanced’.

Tuchel though is convinced that Christensen would be better off staying at Stamford Bridge. Although he claimed he was in the dark somewhat as to any up to date news.

When asked about the current predicament, Tuchel said: “Well it’s in doubt. We hear the rumours and the situation with Andreas is also since many weeks clear. And we are not happy about it.

“Because we, I, me personally and club representatives, we think that it’s best for him to stay. And we rely heavily on him. He did not sign yet, so you cannot not communicate. This is also a signal to us.

“And the communication from his side is that he did not sign until now. So we have to consider the possibility that he leaves us.”

The German coach wants the defender to stay and become a key player in the next few years.

“I think it’s a crucial point in his Chelsea career at the moment,” added Tuchel.

“I think it’s a crucial point where he has the chance, at the perfect age and the perfect moment, regarding the situation, the system we play, the guys who play at his side.

“Considering all these circumstances, it’s for me, the decisive moment for him to step up and be a huge Chelsea player for the next years.

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“If he decides otherwise I will not take it personally. And it’s – in the end – not important if I understand it or not. But I will treat him as my player until the very last day, if he behaves how he has behaved.

“There is no need to go now because he is right at the edge to finally take the next one, two, three steps at Chelsea. I don’t think he is done here.


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Tuchel ‘cannot understand’ Christensen

“That is why I strongly recommended him not to go before it is done. And it is clearly not done. He now has a situation given the formation, given the partners at his side, given his status, given his age: this is his moment. And I cannot understand if he leaves exactly at this moment.

“For Andreas we have unbelievably much to offer. It is the club where he came through the academy. And I think he has a lot, also, to appreciate where he is right now. He profited a lot from the support, the structure. Now is the crucial moment to step up and be a huge player with this history.”

Asked whether the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich offered better prospects for Christensen, Tuchel said: “There cannot be a big improvement in any other club in terms of organisation. The supporting level for the players, the mentality, the competition in which you play: I don’t see an upgrade in any other club.

“Of course if you want to have the challenge of a new league and maybe also in money there are some possibilities always available if you’re a top, top player. But you can fulfil any dream here: I think we should not hide from that and we should not be too humble in that.”

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