Thomas Tuchel says Andreas Christensen needs to be fully committed to Chelsea despite Barcelona speculation
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Updated 06/04/2022 at 12:11 GMT+1
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel says Andreas Christensen "shouldn't forget where he comes from" as the 25-year-old evaluates his next career move. The Danish centre-back has been heavily linked with a summer transfer to Barcelona, but despite those signals Tuchel has urged his man to think carefully about leaving Stamford Bridge.
Tuchel denies Real Madrid distraction after Chelsea's heavy defeat by Brentford
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel says he won't accept anything less than 100 per cent commitment from Andreas Christensen as the Dane continues to be linked with a summer move to Barcelona.
Christensen's contract at Stamford Bridge expires at the end of the season and there has been little indication that he is ready to stay.
But Tuchel seems indifferent to the speculation and instead urged the 25-year-old to concentrate on the job at hand - even more so given the amount of noise already around the club relating to their ownership - as they battle for a top-four spot in the Premier League as well as back-to-back Champions League titles.
Speaking on the eve of his side welcoming Real Madrid for their Champions League quarter-final first leg, Tuchel said: "Maybe it is a bit more challenging for him [Christensen] than normal, in a moment where everything is clear or you're fully committed to the club you play for, which is us and Chelsea.
"Maybe he cleared his future, I don't know it yet, but for me it was very clear when I started, and the bottom line in conversations I had with him was that as long as you're my player I expect you to be 100 per cent committed and I will not accept anything less.
"I will not start digging into how committed he is now; this only leads to distraction. This is what I demand from him. He is our player and we want to have the most of him.
"He needs to be focused, he needs to be determined, and this is what we expect from him. And I think it is what we can expect from him."
If those words were something of a hint towards Christensen's wandering focus, then Tuchel was more frank when asked whether he thought his defender's possible move to Catalonia represented the best option for his career development.
The German boss said: "The situation of the club was pretty sure. I think I gave an honest statement that he is in exactly the right place for his journey. That he could continue with this club and become the defender that he can be, the real personality and the playing minutes figure that he wants to be.
"In my opinion, he shouldn't forget where he comes from, where his education comes from, where is home and that's just my opinion.
"He needs that kind of environment to bring the best out of him. That's just my opinion and I gave it some weeks ago but the talks in autumn and the summer were constant talks. We are in exchange with our players of course. I hope that my talks didn't make him want to leave but I don't think so.
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Thomas Tuchel appears reluctant for Andreas Christensen to leave Chelsea.
Image credit: Getty Images
"You cannot take these things personally. If he decides to take his career elsewhere, it is his decision. We understand it and we don't need to agree. We will not take it personally.
"As long as he is our player, he is our player and I will not stop demanding from him. He needs to be fully, fully committed, this is what we expect and have experienced. You will have to ask him about his decision and what the reasons are for his decision."
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