Defenseless Stamford Bridge: Chelsea are in trouble with defensive players

Usually, if a football player has 1.5 or 2 years left on the contract, the parties begin negotiations either to extend the agreement or to part. Chelsea are always prudent in such matters. The Blues know the value of their players and try to keep them in the squad or sell them in advance. But this time the Londoners seriously delayed the negotiation process with four defenders at once. As a result, all four ended up on expiring contracts, and with each of them the situation remains uncertain.

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Antonio Rudiger

Rüdiger’s theme is perhaps one of the most painful for Chelsea. The German is one of the main central defenders of the Blues, who, moreover, periodically scores and gives assists. Tony is 28 years old – the ideal age for a player in his position. It will be very disappointing to lose such a player for free. And everything goes to that. Rüdiger understands that the next contract will be one of the last good financial opportunities. Surely, the London club understands this too, but the “aristocrats” are not ready to satisfy the demands of the defender.

Chelsea don’t have much time to negotiate with the player. It practically does not exist. In a few days, Rüdiger will be able to negotiate with other clubs. The main contenders for the player are Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. According to rumors, the “creamy” have a better chance of getting the German, since he is in no hurry to return to his home country. And in financial terms, for sure, “blankos” can offer more. In Munich, wage costs are closely monitored. It is quite possible that next season Rudiger will defend the colors of the club from which he will receive the most lucrative contract. In his case, this is quite true.

Andreas Christensen

Christensen is another painful question for Chelsea. The Londoners offered Andreas a new contract, but he has not yet accepted it, which upset many in the club. Rumor has it that Thomas Tuchel deliberately did not let the player out on the field several times in order to “bring him to his senses.” Publicly, the German stated that the lack of playing time should push the Dane to sign a new agreement. The coach believes that at this stage it is the player who should initiate the extension of the contract, since the club has done everything it could for its part.

What, in Tuchel’s opinion, should have motivated Christensen, on the contrary, forced him to postpone the issue of contract renewal again. According to media reports, the footballer took a wait and see attitude because of Barcelona. The Dane is waiting for the decision of the Catalans, who choose between him and Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt. The Blue Garnet are leaning towards the Netherlands national team player, but they are unlikely to be able to meet the financial requirements of the Bianconeri. There is also an option with Milan, where Andreas can replace his compatriot Simon Kier. Chelsea are clearly in a losing position here. The Blues can lose two defenders at once, both for free.

Thiago Silva

The situation with Thiago is more transparent. Insider Fabrizio Romano claims that Silva will remain at the London club for another 1 year, that is, until the summer of 2023. This is, in principle, expected. The Brazilian gets decent playing time for his age in a good club. It makes no sense for him to change the team, as there will be a risk of missing the World Cup. Most likely, a football player will not have such an opportunity. Chelsea are also ready to provide the player with a veteran minimum under the contract. Nevertheless, half of the season is over, and the agreement has not yet been signed. Another situation with the extension of the contract is being delayed.

Even if Silva stays, but the two above-mentioned defenders leave, the Blues will have to look for and sign newcomers to the defense line, and of high quality. Thiago, 37, and Trevoh Chaloba, 22, are unlikely to be a stable center-back pairing for the entire season. Even so, they will need a replacement given how busy the calendar is in England. With the departure of Rüdiger and Christensen, Chelsea will have only one center-back – Malang Sarr, who has played one Premier League game this season. The names of players who are allegedly interested in the Blues periodically appear in the media, but Londoners need to move on to action, since the situation is close to critical.