Thomas Tuchel confirms Andreas Christensen omission due to contract situation

There has been much talk about Andreas Christensen’s omission from the starting lineup in recent days. The Denmark international hasn’t started a single game since the last international break, with Trevoh Chalobah and Thiago Silva starting all three games in his stead.

Thomas Tuchel has now confirmed that Christensen’s omission is linked to his contract situation, with the uncertainty over his future influencing the lineup choices. Tuchel has also dismissed suggestions that putting the 25-year-old on the bench will hurt contract negotiations.

“No, it is the opposite. We have to hope that it influences the contract situation a little bit. My understanding was that it is a matter of a very short period that we have good news.

“I said this in the national break, that for me it is a matter of days that we think that we can have good news about Andreas. As I understand it, the club want the same, and so do the coach and player. That is to stay, and that’s why we need the commitment and then we can continue.

“We have been waiting since a long time now for confirmation and it is on Andreas to act how he acts on the pitch. He needs to act now off the pitch and walk the talk because he tells us he loves Chelsea and that he wants to stay.

“He says he wants to be a big part of this club, because he is a big part, and I think he is a perfect fit. He is not done here yet and his career is far from finished at Chelsea. He can still develop and be a big player. But it is on him. We want the commitment and hopefully we get it.”

-Thomas Tuchel; Source: Chelsea FC

According to the Telegraph and the Guardian, the club’s brass had acceded to the demands laid out by the player’s camp, and offered a three-year deal instead of the customary five. However, Christensen has still not signed on the dotted lines despite Tuchel and the club’s belief that the new terms were acceptable to the player and his representatives.

Tuchel has clearly grown frustrated with the situation, with doubts being raised over Christensen’s commitment for the second half of the season. Antonio Rüdiger also faces an uncertain future at the club, but unlike Christensen, Rüdiger has never agreed a deal and then either moved the goalposts or delayed signing a contract, which is why he has continued to start.

Either way, Christensen needs to provide some clarity on where his future lies, and the longer he delays it, the more precarious the situation will get for both the club and for him.