What Does the Future Hold for Andreas Christensen at Chelsea?

When John Terry signed a new contract to remain at Chelsea for the 2016/17 season, it wasn’t just good news for the player and for the fans who had been calling for him stay. Chelsea’s young players should feel the positives, too.

Not because they have Terry around for another year to learn from, but because his presence means the Blues are less likely to be splashing the cash on a host of new signings to toughen up the back line.

We can expect new boss Antonio Conte to dip into the market with at least one major defensive signing, but with Terry available for selection, the surgery needed on the squad isn’t as drastic as first thought. Not right now, at least.

That means the likes of Andreas Christensen, Jake Clarke-Salter, Fikayo Tomori and others who are coming through have another year to establish themselves. Their future places aren’t going to be taken by a mega-money signing.

It’s those sorts of decisions that are vital to the future of Chelsea’s younger players. Too often we’ve seen the pathway to the first team blocked; not by world-class first-team players but squad members who often take up reserve places because the club has invested plenty of money in their transfer fees.

The decision is a tough one for any manager. Does he leave a multi-million pound signing out of his matchday squad altogether in the name of promoting a youth team player? Or does he take the safe option and go for experience.

At Chelsea, a club where the slightest hint of failure has meant managers losing their jobs in the past, it’s always the latter that has been the option. Regardless of reaching five FA Youth Cups in seven years or winning back-to-back UEFA Youth Leagues, the academy hasn’t been an option. The manager has to justify the money that has been spent in his name.

Now Terry has signed up for another year, there’s every reason the academy becomes a viable option. With Terry hanging around, Christensen can …

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