The final style of main success Chelsea had was their Champions League triumph again in 2021, below supervisor Thomas Tuchel. The Blues beat Manchester Metropolis within the ultimate that yr, 1-0, securing their second title within the competitors.

An enormous a part of that success was German defender, Antonio Rüdiger, who made 34 appearances in all competitions that season, scoring one objective, offering one help, and contributing to 22 clear sheets in his 2,948 minutes performed.

Rudiger ended up operating down his contract, and leaving on a free to Actual Madrid in 2022, however he wasn’t the one defender who left for £0 that season.

Andreas Christensen at Chelsea

Andreas Christensen joined Chelsea in 2012 from Brondby, going into the Chelsea academy system at Cobham. He made his first senior look for the membership in 2014, resulting in 161 appearances, scoring two objectives, offering two assists, and totaling 12,812 minutes performed.

Earlier than changing into an enormous a part of Tuchel’s Chelsea aspect, Christensen spent two years on mortgage with Borussia Mönchengladbach, perfecting his craft, making 82 appearances for the German outfit, scoring seven objectives, offering one help, and totaling 7.402 minutes of soccer performed.

Like Rudiger, Christensen was allowed to enter the ultimate season of his contract, with out extracting a payment for him, or agreeing a brand new deal. This led to the Denmark worldwide leaving on a free, becoming a member of Barcelona, regardless of being valued at €35.00m (£29.5m) by Transfermarkt on the time of his departure.

Andreas Christensen at Barcelona

Since becoming a member of Barcelona, Christensen has made 75 appearances for the membership in all competitions, scoring 4 objectives, and offering three assists, totaling 5,150 minutes performed.

Ex-Barcelona supervisor Xavi as soon as hailed Christensen as “extraordinary” after their 1-0 victory over Atlético Madrid final yr. The Spaniard had loads of confidence within the Danish defender, even asking him to play in midfield 15 occasions final season.

As Wesley Fofana missed the whole thing of the 2023/24 season, this comparability is from completely different seasons, which means Fofana’s numbers are primarily based on his 4 appearances thus far this time period.

The explanation for evaluating the 2 is that Christensen’s present worth is €40m (£33m) and that’s greater than the €25.00m (£21.1m) worth of Fofana proper now, per Transfermarkt. Impressively, it is also a worth value greater than new signing Jadon Sancho and striker Nicolas Jackson.

Now Fofana’s worth has considerably dropped since becoming a member of Chelsea, after signing for £70m from Leicester, primarily resulting from damage points preserving him off the pitch. Nonetheless, even when he’s on the pitch, Christensen continues to be averaging extra progressive carries and passes per 90, extra passes tried with a better go completion, and extra passes into the ultimate third.

This tells us Christensen is extra of a ball-playing defender, contributing closely in build-up, and trying to progress-play between the traces. Fofana is a extra defensive first sort, who has glorious restoration tempo, and a superb leg extension, which helps him make interceptions and blocks (averages greater than Christensen per 90 in these metrics).

Chelsea will likely be very comfortable if Fofana can keep away from the accidents, and get again to his greatest, however Christensen leaving on a free, failing to even extract a payment for the now £33m-rated star is disappointing enterprise whichever method you select to have a look at it.