It was a somewhat throwaway comment from Thomas Tuchel after the FA Cup final that finally confirmed what everyone at Chelsea has known for some time: Andreas Christensen will leave the club in the summer after a decade at Stamford Bridge.
The 26-year-old will depart on a free transfer; Barcelona is his next destination. That will hurt Chelsea from both a sporting and financial perspective. During the first year of Tuchel's tenure, Christensen blossomed into the elite-level centre-back that those at the club – and even John Terry – long expected.
Renewed confidence played its part, as did the defensive structure put in place by Tuchel. Yet the leaps taken by Christensen were sizeable and noticeable – his improved ability and belief to marshall and contain the Premier League's most physical forwards shifted many supporters' perceptions.
