The FC crew question if the tactics employed by Maurizio Sarri and Jose Mourinho will lead to an entertaining fixture at Stamford Bridge. ESPN FC's Steve Nicol sifts through the latest rumours involving Antonio Conte, Neymar, Olivier Giroud and more. Stevie Nicol and Mark Donaldson give their picks for this weekend's Premier League fixtures including the headliner of Chelsea vs. Manchester United.
Andreas Christensen will ask to leave Chelsea in January if he continues to struggle for first-team opportunities, his father and agent has said.
Maurizio Sarri has employed a back four and returned David Luiz to the starting XI alongside Antonio Rudiger, leaving Christensen -- who broke into the team at the expense of Luiz under Antonio Conte last season -- out.
The defender has voiced frustration at the situation, describing his lack of minutes under Sarri as "very difficult."
And in an interview with Danish television, the 22-year-old's father Sten said he did not consider a loan move in the New Year to be a viable option.
"If his situation doesn't change around Christmas, we'll obviously schedule a chat with Chelsea and say: 'OK, what can we do for Andreas? Can we move him?'" he said.
"For me, it's not a loan again. Either it's Chelsea or else he needs to leave. I don't think a loan is the optimal situation for Andreas. It's sort of either or.
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"I think, unfortunately, Chelsea have too many players who just go out on loan if they aren't going to use them, and I don't think Andreas should get caught in that.
"I'm of the conviction that we'll attempt to move Andreas in the winter time [if he is not playing]. Around Christmas, something else needs to happen."
Christensen has come closer than any Chelsea academy graduate since John Terry to establishing himself as a regular, starting 23 Premier League matches last season at the heart of a back three.
Selling him would be a difficult decision for Chelsea, particularly given that Luiz, keeping him out of the team, is 32 in April and out of contract in June.
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Source: espn.co.uk