Andre Schurrle has spoken about his relief at finally securing a move to Chelsea, after his seemingly imminent move last season was blocked by former club Bayer Leverkusen, but is now keen to impress the Stamford Bridge faithful in his first season.
Jose Mourinho has already been an influence on the current Chelsea squad, after agreeing the proposal of a second stint at the club. The former Real Madrid boss was looking to sign multiple players to improve the squad, and Schurrle was the first addition this summer. The attacking position was becoming a concern at the club, with the dismal form of Fernando Torres.
The only bright spark at Mourinho’s disposal was Romelu Lukaku, who returned from a season-long loan spell at West Bromwich Albion. The Belgian had an impressive season at the Hawthorns, and returns a more mature striker in front of goal. With the man-management skills of Mourinho, the former Anderlecht striker will have guidance, and could become an integral part of the setup this season.
Winter signing Demba Ba has not shown impressive form during his short spell at the club, and the Senegalese striker was always touted as the first departure from the club, as he reportedly did not feature in Mourinho’s plans for the season. Clubs like Anzhi Makhachkala have expressed an interest in the striker, and his departure could make way for Schurrle’s more regular involvement in the side.
Schurrle was set to sign for the London club last summer, but a move could not be finalised in the latter stages of the transfer window. The disappointment of the move not going through was publicly spoken about by the German. The striker played 63 matches for Leverkusen, scoring 18 goals. The 22-year old, who plays for the German national side, is known for his pace and finishing ability, a key requirement for the current Chelsea attack line.
According to Daily Mail, Schurrle spoke about his journey and persistence which led to his long-awaited move to Stamford Bridge. Also, he was thoroughly impressed with the infrastructure of the stadium, and what the club had to offer in terms of the culture and history.
He said, “It took a long time. I wanted to come last year to Chelsea and it didn’t work. It wasn’t my decision. It was the decision of Bayer Leverkusen.”
“They didn’t want me to go and I had to make the best of the situation. At the beginning it was really hard. I wanted this so much and it didn’t work out. It felt like a missed opportunity but I wanted to be professional in all ways.”
“I said to myself I had to do my best in every match for Bayer Leverkusen and every training session and improve and it would come at another time and so it was.”