La Liga champions Atletico Madrid are eyeing a Bosman move for Chelsea’s defensive star Andreas Christensen next year.
According to a report from Fichajes, Atletico Madrid are in the market for defensive reinforcements next summer, with Diego Simeone keen on bolstering his options at the back. The Argentine head coach has fears over the long-term future of Stefan Savic and Felipe, which could lead to a transfer hunt next summer.
The reigning Spanish champions are particularly eyeing players whose contracts expire at the end of the season. One of the potential targets could be Chelsea star Andreas Christensen, with the club keeping a close eye on his contract situation at Stamford Bridge.
Formerly of the Brondby academy, Christensen has been a part of the Chelsea setup since 2012. However, it wasn’t until 2015 when he made his professional breakthrough, thanks to a highly successful two-year loan spell at Borussia Monchengladbach.
The Dane returned to Stamford Bridge in 2017 but had to remain patient for his first-team opportunities. In fact, the 2017/18 campaign was the only season where the defender had mustered over 2,000 minutes of league football. And after three years of frustration, the Dane once again became a part of the club’s first-team plans under Thomas Tuchel.
Especially in the current season, Christensen has played a vital role in the Chelsea backline alongside Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger. However, with his current contract expiring in 2022, there are lingering doubts over the defender’s long-term future at the club.
The 25-year-old was courted by Real Madrid earlier this month, hoping to take advantage of his expiring contract. Chelsea, for their part, are hoping to tie down the Dane to a new contract.
At the same time, the Blues are occupied with the contract situation of another star defender in Rudiger. The German is reportedly unhappy with the club’s unwillingness to meet his wage demands and is more likely to leave Stamford Bridge next season amid interest from Tottenham, Manchester City and even Liverpool.
Christensen and Rudiger aren’t the only Chelsea defenders whose contract expires next summer. They are joined by Thiago Silva, who is more than likely to move on and begin the final chapter of his career. The veteran was recently approached by his boyhood club Fluminense.
It will be interesting to see what the future holds, not just for the Brazilian but for his current defensive teammates as well. Given the situation at hand, Chelsea will certainly need to act swiftly if they are to retain the services of these talented individuals next season.
