Christensen close to agreeing Chelsea deal after pre-January talks breakthrough

Chelsea have made a breakthrough in contract talks with Andreas Christensen, sportsextral can exclusively reveal.

The centre-back, 25, has seven months left on his current deal at Stamford Bridge and his future has been in major doubt

A Chelsea source has told sportsextral that the club are close to agreeing a new deal with Christensen following a breakthrough in negotiations.

It means the Denmark international could soon put pen to paper on a deal committing his prime years to the European champions.

That would be a major boost to Chelsea, who have four senior defenders out of contract at the end of the season.

In addition to Christensen , Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger and Thiago Silva are all due to be free agents from next summer.

He has been a key player under the ex-PSG boss and has started 12 Premier League and Champions League matches in total this season.

Of the defenders who Tuchel uses in his three-man back line only Rudiger has made more starts than Christensen this season.

He has a 10-year association with Chelsea dating back to when he joined from Brondby in 2012 at the age of 15.

The centre-half made his first team debut two years later in a League Cup tie against Shrewsbury and has made 140 appearances in total for Chelsea.

He also spent two years on loan at German club Borussia Mönchengladbach and has racked up 54 Denmark caps

Our take: I think this will be an unlikely prospect especially seeing as Romelu Lukaku jumped on the comeback train early, we already have a few options up front. So, it’s difficult to see how Salah could fit into Tuchel’s current side.

Loftus-Cheek inspired by Hazard

Speaking on the Football Daily ‘Unfiltered’ show, Ruben Loftus-Cheek revealed how he wants to feel like Eden Hazard at Stamford Bridge one day, “‘It was unbelievable watching him first hand, in his prime just the way he played was so effortless.

“I remember when he first came, maybe he was 21 or something like that. I remember watching in the stands and sitting quite close to the bench and watching him take players on and the crowd going nuts, and I thought ‘I wanna feel like that

“I’ve driven past people ever since I was young, but to do it now in front of 40,000 fans at Stamford Bridge that start cheering when you go past someone, it’s what dreams are made of isn’t it?”

Our take: It is genuinely lovely to hear how much it means to the youth players coming through at Chelsea, being given a chance to play in the first-team squad and make that transition.

 

Drogba wants Salah return

Blues legend, Didier Drogba whilst speaking on Al-Axis TV revealed that he would like a comeback for Mohamed Salah back at Stamford Bridge.

Salah’s contract ends next June at the end of the season and Drogba thinks that if the Egyptian doesn’t sign another contract at the Reds he should return to Chelsea, “If I am selfish, I will tell Salah to leave Liverpool and return to Chelsea