Andreas Christensen: Chelsea 'Want to Keep All the Players' amid Transfer Ban

Andreas Christensen has hinted that there will be no summer exits from Chelsea as the club "want to keep all the players" while they are under a transfer ban.

Chelsea's appeal of their FIFA-imposed two-window transfer ban has been denied. It means the Premier League side will not be able to sign any players in the next two transfer windows. The penalty was handed to them for breaking rules over the signing of foreign players under 18. 

According to the 22-year-old Christensen, who has been linked with a departure after struggling for game time under Maurizio Sarri, the club have decided they will not let anyone go in that time either, per Ekstra Bladet (h/t Chris Burton of Goal):

"The situation I have ended up in has been very difficult to accept. The messages we have received are that Chelsea cannot appeal the case and therefore want to keep all the players.

"I have tried to show myself on the training track, but it is difficult because it is limited how much we train with all the matches the team is going to play. Now I have played the matches in the UEFA Europa League and hope it will continue as long as we are in the tournament."

The most notable impact of such a policy at Chelsea would be Eden Hazard remaining at the club past the summer.

The Belgian attacker's contract at Stamford Bridge expires in 2020, and he has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid:

The 28-year-old is Chelsea's key attacking threat:

Were he to depart Stamford Bridge, Chelsea would have to bring in a suitable replacement or risk a major drop in form.

As such, it would be unsurprising if Chelsea refused to let Hazard leave while they are under a transfer ban. They would then risk losing him for free when his contract expires next year.

As for Christensen, the Denmark international would likely be open to a departure from Chelsea this summer as he has played just three times in the Premier League in 2018-19.