Andreas Christensen says he’s ready for Antonio Conte’s side (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea youngster Andreas Christensen has explained how much he’s improved after returning from two years on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach.

The 21-year-old defender impressed greatly in the Bundesliga and attracted some rumours of interest from top clubs around Europe before linking up with Antonio Conte’s first-team for pre-season.

It remains to be seen if Christensen will be handed the chance to play as often at Chelsea this season, though Conte showed a willingness to trust his young players last season with the use of Nathan Ake and Nathaniel Chalobah in his first-team.

However, neither played that often and opted to leave Stamford Bridge for more first-team football this summer, but Christensen sounds confident that he has plenty to offer the Blues.

Christensen is back at Chelsea after two years on loan (Picture: Getty)

‘I have come back to Chelsea a better player than the one that left two years ago,’ the Denmark international told the London Evening Standard.

‘I played about 80 games in two seasons and I have a lot more experience. I have a bit more toughness, more mental than physical.

‘The physical side of things is something I still have to build on, but mentally it has given me a lot. I’m more confident, I feel ready for bigger things. I was up against a lot of top strikers, big teams. I remember when I played against Bayern for the first time, I was nervous beforehand because it is easy to look like a clown playing against these guys.

‘Borussia played one against one at the back and I was directly up against (Robert) Lewandowski first and then (Thomas) Muller later on, but we won the game 3-1. Everything went well and this is the kind of thing that gives me more self-belief at the top level.

Christensen, 21, shone at Borussia Monchengladbach (Picture: Getty)
Christensen faces a fight for a first-team place at Chelsea (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea's pre-season fixtures

Chelsea 3-0 Arsenal
Chelsea 2-3 Bayern Munich
Chelsea 1-2 Inter Milan
Aug 6 – Arsenal (Wembley – Community Shield)

‘Borussia were in the Champions League as well so I got to have a bit of a taste of everything.

‘I was up against Alvaro (Morata) for one game and know what it’s like to play at Manchester City too. So I have had a bit of a taste of these big things and I want more of it in the future.’

Despite Christensen’s return, Chelsea have spent around £34m on signing German defender Antonio Rudiger this summer, while Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk is also thought to still be on Conte’s radar.

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