Why Chelsea NEED Christensen to sign a new contract extension
Stefan Bienkowski
- 21 Sept 2021 16:53 BST
- 7 min read
Chelsea may be riding high in the Premier League and on course to retain their Champions League title, but trouble may be on the horizon for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
The Stamford Bridge side undoubtedly possess one of the most impressive squads in European football, but the team may be built on weak foundations in defence.
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As such, the club are reportedly working on a new deal for central defender Andreas Christensen to extend his current contract, according to the Sun.
And while that may not seem like huge news, it could end up proving vital to the continued success of Tuchel’s team.
Christensen is a key part of Tuchel’s plans
The towering Dane has been at Chelsea since he was a youth player but it has only been in the last nine months or so that Christensen has shown his real worth for the London club.
Since Tuchel arrived at the club, Christensen has been an ever-present member of the German manager’s starting XI when injury or suspension haven’t ruled him out of the side.
And at just 25 years of age, there’s still plenty of room for hte Denmark international to grow into an even better defender.
As such, it makes perfect sense why Tuchel and the club would be eager to make sure the defender is signed up to a new deal before he enters the final six months of his contract.
The club need defensive stability
Another reason for the necessity to tie Christensen down to a new deal is that Chelsea may be expecting to lose a number of defenders next summer.
Although Thiago Silva is performing admirably this season, he’ll be 37 by the start of next season and can’t be relied upon as a long-term solution to one of the three central defensive positions.
Similarly, Antonio Rudiger’s own expiring contract has led some fans to fear that the Germany international could consider offers from abroad in January before considering an extension from Chelsea. And that could lead to him also leaving in the summer.
Chelsea may look well stocked right now, but their defence could fall apart at the end of the season if action isn’t taken now.
