The 23-year-old Ryan Bertrand signed as a teenager for the Blues back in 2005 and has gone to play for several lower division clubs on loan between 2006 and 2010 in order to gain valuable match experience. He has been at Stamford Bridge since the start of the 2010-11 season and famously started in the 2011-12 Champions League final success over Bayern Munich on penalties.
Last season was a more productive one for the England international as he made 38 appearances in all competitions and helped the Blues secure back-to-back European titles in the form of the Europa League.
Bertrand, who is primarily a left-back, is widely considered to be the understudy to Ashley Cole. The current first-choice left-back is hampered by a chronic ankle problem and usually does not train the day after matches.
Bertrand has been the subject of interest from Liverpool but Chelsea have reportedly rejected their advances. The defender has four years left on his contract and is in no mood to depart Stamford Bridge. Instead, he intends to fight for his place and become the number one left-back on the books at Chelsea, who also underlined their faith in him by rebuffing the Reds advances.
According to Yahoo! Eurosport, Bertrand is happy at Chelsea and is not looking to leave the club amid interest from Liverpool. The report suggests that the full-back is determined to stay at the club and try and establish himself as the first-choice left-back for the Blues.
He said, “I see my future being Chelsea’s number one [left-back]. I don’t concentrate on trying to dislodge him [Cole]. I just focus on myself and my game and I’m sure that time will come.”
He has had to play second fiddle to Cole over the past two years but believes that competition for places is a given when one plays for a top club. He added, “Being at a club like Chelsea, at the top level, that’s just a way of life. Everyone is used to it by now.”
Being a World Cup year, one may have forgiven Bertrand for deciding to jump ship elsewhere where he would have been guaranteed regular first-team football. However, he has enough confidence in his ability to get playing time under his belt to achieve a place in England’s World Cup squad if the Three Lion’s manage to qualify.
He said, “I’ve just got to concentrate on my club team and get my games in there. In the back of my mind I’m aware of it [the World Cup]. Hopefully I can get enough games this year and you never know.”