Andreas Christensen is ice cool and had 94% passing accuracy against Huddersfield... he has risen from John Terry's apprentice to replacing David Luiz at Chelsea

  • Andreas Christensen was taken off by Antonio Conte against Huddersfield Town 
  • The Danish defender was rested as he is now one of their most important players 
  • He was always considered one of the most talented players in the academy 
  • John Terry admits he took him under his wing when he was still at Chelsea
  • Christensen impressed while on a loan spell at Borussia Monchengladbach
  • He even came up against Barcelona and managed an impressive display 

Antonio Conte's side were 3-0 up at Huddersfield. He wanted to rest his best players. So the Chelsea manager took off Eden Hazard, N'Golo Kante... and Andreas Christensen.

The 21-year-old defender has had a stunning rise this season, going from highly-rated prospect to Chelsea's most important defender. He has supplanted David Luiz at the back.

Just this summer there would have been questions over him. A successful two-year loan spell at Borussia Monchengladbach had come to an end. His club are not the best for putting those returning loanees into the team.

Antonio Conte brought off Andreas Christensen on Tuesday as he rested his best players

Antonio Conte brought off Andreas Christensen on Tuesday as he rested his best players

Christensen has had a staggering rise this season and is now a key man at Stamford Bridge

Christensen has had a staggering rise this season and is now a key man at Stamford Bridge

It is different for Christensen. Chelsea explored cutting his loan short after he won Monchengladbach's Player of the Year award. Conte always viewed him as a player of some talent. His substitution on Tuesday was a form of high praise.


And he fits the Italian's system perfectly. Luiz's enhanced reputation last campaign came after a season of playmaking from that central role in the back three. Christensen has all of that without any of the added baggage of the Brazilian.

His return has brought 10 starts in the Premier League. This is no surprise for someone that loan manager Eddie Newton said had 'always been one of the top players in the academy'.

Christensen was always regarded as one of the top prospects in Chelsea's academy

Christensen was always regarded as one of the top prospects in Chelsea's academy

The Dane has always been earmarked for greatness. Neil Bath, the club's head of youth development, recently said: 'My first memory of seeing him was how natural a footballer he was, in terms of his reading of the game and his technique'.

He was taken under the wing of club icon John Terry. 'He's a great kid with a great attitude,' the Villa defender said. 'Every time he came across he'd pick my brains and the defenders' brains. 

'What I liked about him was he felt he could come and be part of this. When any younger player comes into the group as well, it takes a few weeks for them to be accepted because the standard's so high. 

'Once you get the green light, that confidence will make you grow even more.'

Club icon John Terry spoke about how he took the young Danish defender under his wing

Club icon John Terry spoke about how he took the young Danish defender under his wing

He was given the seal of approval by the club's senior players, boosting his confidence

He was given the seal of approval by the club's senior players, boosting his confidence

Christensen himself believes his spell at Borussia-Park helped hugely: 'You have the perfect opportunity as you come from Chelsea to come to somewhere that will help you and push you even more.

'I don't think if I went to the Championship it would have worked that well as it did in Germany. 

'You get to feel that pressure from a big crowd in a big stadium. Now when I came back here and you have to be under pressure all the time, it just makes you ready.'

But why has he become such a useful part of Chelsea's defence?

Christiansen is an impressive playmaker from the back, a key skill in the modern game

Christiansen is an impressive playmaker from the back, a key skill in the modern game

A single passage of play from Tuesday night highlights it. He received the ball three times in the space of 20 seconds. 

The first two short passes he plays are to get himself into a position of some space. The third, once he has found that little pocket, is a longer ball out-wide to the left. It set Chelsea up for a counter-attack.

An odd reality of the modern game is that often central defenders are the players who can have the most time on the ball. It is why playmaking players in that position have thrived in recent seasons.

Christensen only misplaced two passes on Tuesday night. His average accuracy over the entire campaign is 93.33 per cent.

Conte congratulates Christensen for his calm and composed performance on Tuesday

Conte congratulates Christensen for his calm and composed performance on Tuesday

He also reads the game well, making 17 interceptions this campaign, and has won 55 per cent of his aerial duels. Given he is asked to bring the ball out from the back, it is of note that he has been 100 per cent successful when taking on an opponent. 

This is a man who, at just 21, understands his role and is calm and composed. He has made only one error leading to a shot since he was given a place in the side. Christensen is an adult in a young body.

It is easy to forget that as Chelsea had a year out from Europe last campaign, Christensen was playing in the Champions League. He even came up against Barcelona.

Christensen developed as a player during two impressive seasons on loan in Germany

Christensen developed as a player during two impressive seasons on loan in Germany

He even went up against Barcelona during his time at Borussia Monchengladbach

He even went up against Barcelona during his time at Borussia Monchengladbach

Monchengladbach lost but Chelsea were suitably impressed. 'He played with a maturity beyond his years,' Newton said. 'The highest mark I've given in the loan process. He was Chelsea level, as simple as that'.

Christensen has proven it this season. His mentor is probably Chelsea's best defender in the Premier League era. He was allowed to leave with the knowledge that Christensen was returning. 

In a week in which a new Star Wars film has been released, the apprentice is slowly becoming the master.

Christensen defending against West Ham - one of his 10 Premier League starts this season

Christensen defending against West Ham - one of his 10 Premier League starts this season