Chelsea Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger

Chelsea will not sell centre-back Andreas Christensen despite interest from Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, according to Borussia Monchengladbach sporting director Max Eberl.

The Danish defender has been on loan at Gladbach since July 2015 and has established himself as one of the Bundesliga's top defenders—he won the club's player-of-the-season award for 2015-16.

His form has seen him linked with the likes of Bayern, Barca and City, while Gladbach are eager to keep him past the end of his loan spell in 2017.

But Eberl believes Chelsea will resist any approaches for Christensen, 20, and he will return to Stamford Bridge in the summer, per Anthony Chapman in the Sun:

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It will be a hard task but I am hopeful that we can [keep him]. We probably won’t buy him but maybe there’s another way. And even if he has only been with us for two years, that would be a great story.

He’s a top player. Chelsea are taking care of those players they’ve loaned out very well. Andreas has said: "If I can start matches for Chelsea, I will go back."

He’ll be a world-class player. Chelsea are not going to sell such a player to Barcelona or Bayern. So, another way is still possible.

"

Given his form and potential, Chelsea will likely be counting the days until he returns to the club.

The Blues' defensive performances have been much improved recently since manager Antonio Conte switched to a back three, but their back-line recruitment in the summer was not ideal, per Bleacher Report's Dean Jones:

John Terry, 35, is edging ever closer to retirement, while Gary Cahill and David Luiz remain inconsistent.

The currently injured Kurt Zouma, 21, and Christensen are surely the future of Chelsea's defensive core, and the Denmark international should have no problem earning his desired starting spot when he returns to Stamford Bridge.

Per Chapman, a number of European clubs are reportedly prepared to offer big money for the young defender, but given his quality and Chelsea's defensive issues, it seems unlikely the Blues would let him go permanently.

Elsewhere, Chelsea are reportedly eyeing further defensive strength in the shape of AS Roma centre-back Antonio Rudiger.

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According to Sami Mokbel on MailOnline, Conte is eager to add at least one new defender in January, and he has asked his scouts to monitor fit-again Rudiger, who could be available for £35 million.

Mokbel added that the 23-year-old was a Chelsea target in the summer before he suffered a serious knee injury, while Manchester United and Manchester City are both reportedly interested in Rudiger as well.

Rudiger is a Germany international and became a key part of the side at Stuttgart from 2013 before moving to Roma in 2015—he started 29 Serie A games in his debut season with the club in 2015-16, per WhoScored.com.

There is little doubt that Chelsea's defence needs an overhaul, and the addition of Rudiger, along with the return of Christensen, would be a fine move to add proper depth to the Blues' back line.

If Chelsea are convinced of his quality, then £35 million would be a relatively reasonable price for Rudiger, as he could be a major asset for the west London outfit in the long term.