‘I would’: Zola suggests Chelsea should keep their 25-year-old player next season

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Gianfranco Zola has suggested Chelsea should keep their defender Andreas Christensen moving into next season.

Christensen, 25, is one of the Blues players whose contract expires at Stamford Bridge this summer. It’s been reported that Spanish giants Barcelona are in advanced talks to sign the ball-playing centre-back, too.

Elsewhere, 28-year-old Blues centre-half Antonio Rudiger will leave at the end of the season unless a new deal is arranged. Also, 32-year-old club captain Cesar Azpilicueta is yet another defender on Chelsea’s books who has a contract that runs out in half a years time.

Chelsea legend Zola has been discussing the likely outcome of all three defenders at his ex-club. He’s leaning towards keeping younger 25-year-old option Christensen, along with one of his more senior teammates.

“We are talking about two of them being key players and have been very successful at the club. Right now, they are playing all the time — that is Rudiger and Azpilicueta,” Zola told The Sun.

“The third one (Christensen) hasn’t played as much but is the youngest.

“You don’t want to lose players when they have been so good like Azpilicueta and Rudiger.

“At the same time you don’t want to lose a good prospect like Christensen.

“I think we will see two stay — but don’t ask me the names.

“Luckily, I am not Tuchel and it is very easy for me not to answer the question.

“I would maybe keep the young one and one other.”

Chelsea don’t need to ditch back three permanently

Yes, it’s been great to see Blues manager Thomas Tuchel use a back four at times in the past month.

There is no reason for anyone to suggest the club should ditch three at the back completely, though.

The flexibility within the squad is there to interchange the system on a game-to-game basis, so it should come down to the personnel that’s fit and available in the squad.

Reece James and Ben Chilwell are both outstanding full-backs that are so effective in wing-back roles, which is why a 3-4-3 formation when they’re available is a no-brainer. This is why it’s important the club keep enough top quality centre-backs at their disposal.

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