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Chelsea's defender Andreas Christensen has arguably been their best player so far this season with some solid performances at the back. The 21-year-old returned from his two-year loan spell at Borussia Monchengladbach as a complete defender and has proven it this season.
Chelsea has had problems in attack this season, with Belgian playmaker Eden Hazard and Spanish forward Alvaro Morata going through a tough spell recently, but at the back, the Blues have been as assured as ever.
The Dane has settled in effortlessly into the Chelsea squad and looks like the ideal replacement for long-time captain John Terry, who now plays in the Championship for Aston Villa.
The Danish international has all the attributes to become the world's best defender and here are five reasons why he could claim that tag in the near future.
#1 Reading of the game
One of Christensen's main qualities is the way he can read what the opponent is going to do.
The defender always seems to be one step ahead of the opposition whenever they're attacking and this is because of his intelligence.
The youngster has made 27 interceptions in all competitions so far this season, which is seven more than fellow defender Gary Cahill, who is an established England international.
The Dane is very well educated and you can see his tactical awareness when he plays as he intercepts numerous through balls. He is mostly always in the right place at the right time, allowing him to clear the ball from danger.
The youngster has made 79 clearances this season, which is five more than Cahill.
#2 Timing of tackles
To be a great defender, you need to know how to tackle. When Christensen goes in for a tackle, he's more than likely to win the ball.
The defender rarely makes rash decisions when attempting to win the ball and times his challenges excellently. He is a clean player, which can be seen through him not receiving a single caution in all competitions this season.
Christensen has attempted 20 tackles in the Premier League this season, winning 19 of them. This incredible statistic shows just how accurate the Danish international is with his challenges, timing them to perfection.
His pace and agility allow him to keep up with some of the fastest players in the world and he has only been dribbled past by an opponent once in the English top flight this season.
He is also not afraid to put his body on the line for his side. The youngster has made an incredible 23 blocks in all competitions for the Blues.
#3 Aerial prowess
At 1.88 m, he isn't the tallest defender but Christensen is incredibly strong when challenging for the ball in the air.
He has an incredible leap, allowing him to get above many of the strikers that he comes up against. He is a leader when it comes to set-pieces and if he's involved in an aerial duel, he's most likely going to win it.
The youngster has won 66% of the aerial duels that he has been involved in this season. He is strong in defensive situations, but he is also dangerous when Chelsea have set-pieces.
He is very good at losing his marker inside the box, although he is yet to score for the Blues this season.
#4 Comfortable with the ball
Christensen is the perfect example of a modern defender. He is confident with the ball at his feet and loves to pass the ball out from the back rather than hoofing the ball forward aimlessly.
The youngster is very accurate with his passing and he has only lost the ball six times in all competitions this season.
He loves to play a short pass into the feet of the play-makers in the team and rarely misplaces them as he has completed 881 out of 925 short pass attempts, which calculates to 95% accuracy. This clearly shows his capability to link with the midfield and the part he plays in starting the Chelsea attacks.
England defender John Stones gets huge credit for the way he plays out from the back and is praised for the accuracy of his passing, which is only 2% better than Christensen, who is rarely credited for the way he builds play from one side of the pitch to the other.
#5 He is young but experienced
The 21-year-old is massively experienced. The youngster spent two years on loan in the German top-flight, where he was a regular starter against some of the best teams and players in world football.
Furthermore, the Dane now has experience of Premier League football as well as the UEFA Champions League, where he has already faced European giants such as Atletico Madrid.
The defender has also established himself in the first team for Denmark and played in six of their matches during their successful World Cup qualifying campaign.
If he continues developing at this rate, playing alongside experienced defenders and under brilliant coaches, then there is no doubt that one day he will become the best defender in the world.
