‘Unbelievable’ - Ben Chilwell says Chelsea players know they will not get a better manager than Thomas Tuchel
(Picture: Chelsea FC via Getty Images)Ben Chilwell believes Chelsea can become Premier League champions after the £4.25billion Boehly-Clearlake takeover with the American owners set to back manager Thomas Tuchel.
The 25-year-old’s international teammate Raheem Sterling is set to be the first signing of the summer after he completed his medical on Sunday ahead £47.5million move from Manchester City.
The Blues are also chasing further new signings in Leeds forward Raphinha, Manchester City defender Nathan Ake and Juventus centre-back Matthias de Ligt.
Now fit and ready to play himself, Chilwell believes that the stability of the new consortium can propel his side to challenge Liverpool and Manchester City’s domination in English football.
“As players, we have confidence in the manager. We know we are not going to get a better manager,” Chilwell said in a wide-ranging interview at Cobham Training Centre.
“I am not just saying it, he is unbelievable. I think he has a lot of trust in us. Now there’s that stability, which could have potentially been tricky, is now resolved it is up to us to work and try and get consistency on the pitch.
“It wasn’t a distraction for us last season. We just focused on the games but I think, as a club, the takeover has lifted a weight off everyone’s shoulders now it has been resolved. We saw the rumours like you saw them.
“We can move on under new ownership which seems amazing. They seem to want to get very involved in the club and move things forward. I don’t think last season was a bad season.
“We won two cups and got to two cup finals. We are always positive going into every season. We are a strong team, hopefully, we can add to that strength in the transfer market to get some good players. We’ve got a great manager, new ownership, a great training ground and backroom staff.
“Everything is in place for next season. It is just about working hard for each other to make it happen. Liverpool and City have set the bar high for the last five years. Every other team is aspiring to it.
“As a Chelsea player, I think we are the closest to getting there. At times last season, we showed we can compete with them but it’s the consistency that they’ve shown how they can do it season-in and season-out.
“We want to get there and have had these conversations as players and staff. We’ve got the talent and we showed it in the Champions League and at the start of last season. We beat Juventus 4-0 in the Champions League and showed we have the talent but we just need to show consistency. “
Chilwell spent most of last season out after a partially ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his knee that ultimately needed surgery to repair.
The defender returned on the final day of the season in a cameo substitute appearance against Watford.
He now feels ready to get back to his former level and wants his club form to allow him back into Gareth Southgate’s thinking ahead of the World Cup in November with England.
“I’m back in full training now, I trained with the group in the last week of the season, came on for a few minutes,” he added.
“It has been nice to get away from it all after a long six months of rehab for a few weeks. I’ve come back early and I’ve been here three weeks and feel fit and ready.
“I injured it on Christmas Day. I planted my knee during a session outside. On Boxing Day I saw my surgeon Andy Williams and we decided to crack on with the surgery. I took it in my stride and was pretty positive. I felt it could improve me mentally. The World Cup is a big motivation as well as the season with Chelsea.
“If I play well between now and then I am confident I will be in the squad. That’s my mindset and I wasn’t worried. I just wanted to do everything I can to be the best version of myself and play well for Chelsea for four months to give myself a chance to be picked.
“I dreamed of playing in the World Cup ever since I can remember, to know it is around the corner is more motivation than you know for me to see if I can establish my spot. Especially after the Euros which was a difficult time for me.
“I want to be the left-back in the team and I think we can do really well and go a long way. It would be amazing. It would be a highlight of not just my career but my life. So I am going to work for it for the next four months.”
