Antonio Rudiger with Chelsea boss, Thomas Tuchel.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, as quoted by the club’s official website, Thomas Tuchel claimed that he is not too worried about the key Chelsea quartet that will be out of contract in the summer.
The Blues could face quite the calamity come next summer. Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, Thiago Silva, and Cesar Azpilicueta are set to be out of contract at the end of the season. The quartet’s potential departure could spell serious issues for us ahead of the 2022-23 season.
There is hope that Silva and Christensen will sign a new contract soon, according to Gianluca di Marzio (h/t The Metro). However, it looks like the Blues are likely to lose Rudiger, with a host of clubs interested in the German international. Meanwhile, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are also trying to lure Azpilicueta to his home country, according to Sport (h/t ESPN).
Tuchel was quizzed about his concerns on the matter, but the German refused to give much away. He did however hint that the players hold the initiative and could choose to either stay or seek p[astures new come to the end of the current campaign.
‘No, not so much. All of these players know very well how much we appreciate them. And the big role they play in our plans and in the presence of this team and this club.
‘They are very aware of it and will not throw it away like this. Of course, it’s their right now to do things. But it’s also their right to stay with us and be a part of the future of Chelsea Football Club.’
Tuchel has often been admired for the way he conducts his interviews. He is shrewd yet sweet and very direct about his opinion. He rarely discusses matters that should not be addressed in a press conference.
If he had shown the slightest of worries in public about this situation, the mood around the camp could have been affected by it. However, he has responded by giving his defenders the utmost respect.
There is very little the German manager can do about this situation, courtesy of which he cannot address the matter in its totality. He could be included in the decisions regarding their futures at the club, but the past four months have shown that each player is an important cog at Stamford Bridge.
Thus, only time can tell who stays and who leaves, but ideally, it would be great if all of them stayed put. We have a squad good enough to compete with the best in the business, and the departure of any star could harm the harmony in the squad or affect the balance in the team.
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