Chelsea star Andreas Christensen has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence in 2017-18… but what’s behind it?
Blues star's form may come as a surprise to many, but not club legend John Terry who tipped him for stardom in 2014
THE form of Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen might have come as a surprise to many outside Stamford Bridge but Blues legend John Terry isn’t be among that number.
In 2014 the club legend spoke of his great hopes for the young Dane, saying: “Believe me, I am sure that he will be a top footballer and one of the future men for Chelsea.”
Christensen was 18 at that point and some way from Chelsea’s first team.
But fast-forward almost four years and he is one of the first names on Antonio Conte’s team-sheet.
We asked our friends at Football Whispers to track Christensen’s career to date.
The common criticism of Chelsea’s recruitment model is they hoover up more young talent than they can possibly use before scattering them across the globe on loan until they eventually get fed up of the lack of opportunities and leave for good.
So when Christensen joined the Blues as a 15-year-old in 2012 from Danish side Brondby IF, outside observers would have been forgiven for thinking he’d be the latest player to be swallowed up by Chelsea’s player farm.
In the fullness of time, though, that could not be further from the truth.
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The 21-year-old has established himself as Conte’s go-to man at the heart of the Blues’ defence this season, ahead of £30m summer signing Antonio Rudiger and David Luiz, who was instrumental in last season’s title win.
And it all began with – you guessed it – a loan move away from Stamford Bridge.
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Having made his Blues debut in October 2014 in a League Cup win over Shrewsbury, Christensen did not feature again en-route to the final as Jose Mourinho won the first trophy of his second spell at the club.
The Portuguese, though, made sure to acknowledge the defender’s contribution.
Speaking after victory over Tottenham at Wembley, Mourinho said: “Man of the Match was Andreas Christensen who played well against Shrewsbury.
“There are more than John Terry (the official man of the match) because we are a team. I am proud of the guys.”
Christensen made just two further appearances before the season was out, one in the shock FA Cup loss to League One Bradford City and a 12-minute Premier League cameo against Sunderland on the final day of the season with the title already sewn up.
So it was decided ahead of the 2015/16 campaign that he would move away in the short term to get regular first-team football under his belt, joining Borussia Monchengladbach.
It was the perfect switch. In two seasons in Germany, Christensen made 82 appearances in all competitions, helping Die Fohlen to fourth and ninth-place finishes.
In fact, Christensen did so well in at Borussia-Park that there were reports of a permanent deal on more than one occasion.
But Chelsea had seen what their young charge could do and any suggestion of selling Christensen to the Monchengladbach was quashed when he was brought back to Stamford Bridge ahead of the new season.
“I was a young player on loan,” he told The Telegraph. “It was what I wanted and it was good for me, big games against the best players.
“I was facing top strikers in the Bundesliga and that was a new thing for me. It helped me to know what will come in the future.”
That, arguably, came quicker than expected this season. Gary Cahill’s red card against Burnley on the first day opened the door for Christensen.
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The combination of Terry’s departure and Conte’s high-profile falling out with David Luiz ensured he stayed there.
He has been the Blues’ stand-out central defender this season, making 1.1 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 0.7 blocks on average per Premier League outing.
His fine form has been rewarded with a new four-and-a-half-year deal which was celebrated in typically unfussy fashion, according to dad Sten.
Christensen senior explained: “When we left Stamford Bridge afterwards, I asked Andreas if he wanted to go somewhere to get something to eat, but he said no.
"He was already thinking about his game the next day.
“He said he just wanted to go home, order something and go to bed. So that was our celebration.”
If his son makes good on his undoubted potential and becomes the first player from Chelsea’s academy to establish himself in the first team since Terry, he will have to get used to far more extravagant celebrations.