Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen has talked up the prospect of signing a new contract following his resurgence under head coach Thomas Tuchel.
The Dane struggled for playing time during the first half of the campaign, but his situation changed after Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard as the manager in January.
Christensen initially started on the bench under the German, but he got the chance to impress in the back three after an injury to Thiago Silva.
Since Silva’s return, there have been occasions where he has played alongside the Brazilian, with Cesar Azpilicueta featuring in the right wing-back position.
The Dane’s current contract with the Blues expires at the end of next season, but he has said that he is committed to the club for the long term.
He told Chelseafc.com: “I’ve never doubted my decision [to come to Chelsea] and I’ve always been here for the long run. I accept that the club sometimes changes managers, and that can make it hard to always be in the team.”
“There have not been any talks [on a contract extension] yet, but like I said, I’m in this for the long run and I always have been. I feel like this is my second home. Denmark will always be my home, but Chelsea will always be my place.”
Sportslens view:
Christensen’s positioning had come for criticism from some fans in the past, but he has shown an improvement while operating in the back three.
It is unclear whether Tuchel will stick with the 3-4-2-1 formation next term, given he generally prefers to play with a 4-2-2-2 setup.
Christensen may struggle for playing time in a two-man central defence, but he appears prepared to commit his future to the club.
It could be a busy summer for the Blues as they may also look to extend the contracts of Antonio Rudiger and Azpilicueta (expiring in 14 months).
Rudiger has had a similar renaissance to Christensen. The German has made 12 of his 16 league appearances this season after the appointment on Tuchel.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
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