Andreas Christensen Committed to Chelsea, Admits He 'Had a Lot of Doubts'

Andreas Christensen says he loves being at Chelsea and is committed to the club despite admitting he "had a lot of doubts" over his future while rumours linked him with a move away from Stamford Bridge in January. 

The 22-year-old has made only two Premier League appearances under manager Maurizio Sarri and was said to be considering a winter exit. However, Christensen told Bold.dk (h/t MailOnline's Will Griffee) the club convinced him of his importance to the squad: 

"Obviously I had a lot of doubts. But once the club assured me I am needed, it really wasn't that hard for me to accept.

"I've been in the club for many years, and I still love being here. It's solely because of the playing time that the transfer consideration started.

"But I'm looking forward, and I've come to terms with the situation."

The prospects for Christensen were high after he returned from a successful two-season loan at Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer of 2017. He made 27 Premier League appearances under Antonio Conte last season, but Sarri hasn't shown the same appetite to use the Denmark international.

The youngster has been more prominently used in cup competition and is yet to miss a minute of his club's UEFA Europa League or FA Cup campaigns. Goal's Nizaar Kinsella rated Christensen as one of Chelsea's best players in their recent 2-1 win at Malmo in the Europa League round of 32:

Antonio Rudiger and David Luiz are cemented as Sarri's first-choice pairing in central defence, and Christensen appears to have accepted his place in the pecking order:

"At the moment there's two clear first choices, and then there's me. I just have to show that I'm ready and take the chance when I get it.

"There was a lot of talk [over a January move], but it was quickly made clear that the club still saw me as someone who would play.

"Of course that's really nice to hear so I just have to keep proving myself. I think I've been good the last few times I've got the chance and then I can only hope that I'll be selected more often."

Christensen's father and agent, Sten, appeared on Danish television (h/t The Independent's Jack Watson) in October and indicated his son would seek an exit from Stamford Bridge unless his playing time increased.

Sarri at the time pointed to Rudiger and Luiz as reasons why the Dane wasn't in his XI, per journalist Vaishali Bhardwaj:

That same centre-back pairing recently conceded six times during Chelsea's 6-0 hammering at Manchester City, evidence perhaps that Sarri could afford to experiment with his options.

Gary Cahill, 33, and Ethan Ampadu, 18, are also options for Chelsea in central defence, and Kinsella sympathised with Christensen's plight at the time of his father's comments earlier this term:

His disposition could shift again between now and the end of the season depending on how he's used, but Christensen is content for now to keep biding his time.