Ryan Bertrand, a Chelsea youth product who joined in 2005, made his permanent switch to Southampton in February after spending the first half of the season on loan. Bertrand had won the Champions League, Europa League, and FA cup with Chelsea, and had also been sent on seven separate loan spells.
Bertrand has been in excellent form this season, earning a spot in the PFA Team of the Year and a recall to the England setup. From this form, he is adamant that he would be strong enough to play for Jose Mourinho’s side.
I know personally I should still be there and I should still be playing but there is no drama. That is football and these things happen.
However, Bertrand said “It wasn’t a case of ‘my career didn’t go right, I’m not playing for Chelsea’,” and insists he is “Fantastically happy at Southampton, playing week in, week out.”
The English international is confident that his departure from Chelsea was purely “circumstance”, and had “nothing to do with [his] capabilities.”
“I have no grudges, no chip on my shoulder about showing him ‘look I’m better than him’ – it was just about me. That was the whole decision.”
Bertrand who scored two and assisted two this season, as Southampton secured a seventh place finish and a Europa League playoff spot, has been very happy with his involvement and importance in the side.
As a footballer you can’t get too carried away or too attached. I would play there and was happy, but now I play at Southampton I really feel part of it. I really feel like a footballer.
Bertrand, who had been rumoured for an immediate move back to Chelsea in recent months, looks set to continue his career at Southampton next season, hopefully back in European competition.
