German side Borussia Monchengladbach have seen a hefty £14.2 million bid for youngster Andreas Christensen turned down by Chelsea. Meanwhile, long term absentee Kurt Zouma has recovered and has begun to train with the first team.
Christensen to stay at Monchengladbach on loan, but will remain a Chelsea player
According to Sky Sports, the Bundesliga outfit are interested in signing the 20-year old after the defender spent the last two seasons at Borussia Park. The Denmark international impressed in his first spell on loan in Germany, which is why Monchengladbach tabled a £14.2 million bid for the defender. But it is being reported that the offer made by the German side has been rejected as Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has identified the Danish player as an option for the future.
In the 2015/16 season, Christensen made 31 appearances for Monchengladbach, and was a calm and composed presence at the heart of their defence. He was also tidy with the ball at his feet and averaged a pass accuracy of 87.4 percent. The centre-back averaged an excellent 4.2 clearances per match. Aerially too, the young Danish defender marked his authority by winning 2.7 aerial duels per game.
Given the defender’s recent performances, it comes as little surprise that Conte wants to retain him. Currently his Chelsea squad comprises of two senior defenders in John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic, and once they decide to call it a day, Christensen would be more than capable to fit into their boots. As of now, the centre-back is set to remain in Germany and continue to be a mainstay at the heart of the Monchengladbach defence
Chelsea receive Kurt Zouma injury boost
Defender Kurt Zouma suffered a career-threatening injury when he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in February which ruled him out of the second half of the 2015/16 season. Since then, the Frenchman has been recovering, and as the Evening Standard reported, he has started training with the team. It is understood that Zouma has flown to Austria to join the Chelsea squad, where they are playing their pre-season games.
Speaking to the media at the club’s training camp in Velden ahead of this week’s friendly against RZ Pellets, Conte said: “We know Zouma is recovering but he needs time. It’s important we don’t push him.”
Manager Antonio Conte would look to imprint his philosophy on the team as Chelsea fly out to the United States in the next few days where they are scheduled to face Liverpool, AC Milan and Real Madrid.
