SHARE

Andreas Christensen is not guaranteed to be a starter with Barcelona, should he decide to join the Catalan giants from Chelsea this summer.

That’s according to former Blues midfielder and current Greece manager Gustavo Poyet, who believes the competition for places at the Nou Camp is more fierce than the defender things.

Christensen is out of contract with Chelsea in the summer and is looking unlikely to sign a new deal at Stamford Bridge, which means he will be free to leave the club on a free transfer in the next window.

Several big sides in Europe are keen on his signature, but Barcelona appear to be winning the race for his signature after months of efforts to do so.

Reports in Spain today have indicated that Xavi and co. are very confident they have convinced the player to sign for them this summer, with it even claimed that the defender has given verbal approval to the move.

The expectation is that he would arrive at the Nou Camp as a first-choice player, but Poyet is not convinced, particularly because the Danish star has not cemented such a position at Chelsea.

“Christensen won’t have it easy to be a starter at Barça,” he told Cadena Cope.

“He is not playing every game at Chelsea. He has never been an undisputed starter, and that will depend on what Xavi is looking for and what is going to happen with Barcelona’s centre-backs.

“When the year began, the three chosen by Tuchel were clearly Christensen, Thiago Silva and Rüdiger, and in the end, due to small changes or minor injuries, he is not playing every game. There is something to correct there.

“He has the Barça profile without a doubt, but he would have to accept that role and be one of those who plays every game.

“It will not be easy because there are three centre-backs who are going to give him a fight. Although the competition is brutal, and that raises the level to play better.”