These stories are samples pulled from external media sources. They do not represent the views or position of Chelsea Football Club.

Hasenhuttl believes in Werner

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl believes Timo Werner is one of the best in Europe and it’s only a matter of time until he proves that in the Premier League.

Hasenhuttl worked with Werner at RB Leipzig and was one of the first signings he made at the club.

‘He is a player where you have to adapt your game on him,’ the Austrian said in a report in the Daily Mail. ‘If you do this, he will give you everything you need from a striker.’

The German attacker arrived from Leipzig in the summer and has scored nine goals and grabbed six assists so far this season. The Southampton manager still believes there is more to come.

‘He has some qualities you have to focus on. The good thing for him, I think at Leipzig when I was there, is we concentrated completely on his qualities.

‘With our quick transitions after winning the ball, it was perfect for our game.’

Werner’s record in Germany for club and country makes Hasenhuttl hold him in high regard which is why he believes the striker is still to reach his best.

‘You need to bring him into his best position so he can bring his strength on the pitch and then for me, he is one of the best strikers in Europe.’

Rodgers rates Mount

Chelsea will face Leicester City tonight in our next Premier League fixture and Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers has had a lot of praise for Blues midfielder Mason Mount.

Mount volleyed home the winner in our previous game against Fulham and the Leicester manager has been impressed by Mount’s quality.

‘I’ve seen his talent for several years and he’s a fabulous player,’ Rodgers said in his press conference.

‘He has great mobility and great technique, and he is a young player, that tells you everything about his mentality.’

The midfielder’s man-of-the-match performance against Fulham saw him record seven key passes and three successful dribbles. Mount also had a pass completion rate of 91 per cent and made 39 or of his 31 passes in the final third.

‘Frank plays him virtually every game and he only does that because he knows he’s a top player and he has that hunger to succeed,’ the former Liverpool manager said.

‘From a distance, he looks a really good lad as well and he works very hard each game.’

Rodgers was a youth coach at Chelsea from 2004 to 2008 so he wouldn’t have come across Mount, but he definitely can see the Blues’ DNA in the 21-year-old.

‘Those boys that come through Chelsea have a real in-built brain for the club, they want to do well, and it’s been great the talent over the last number of years first at Derby and now at Chelsea.’

Chilwell chess hobby

Ben Chilwell has revealed he has found chess as a new hobby to keep him busy in lockdown.

The left-back has been very open about the struggles people have faced during the pandemic and is trying to keep himself busy. He is also grateful that as a footballer he can still do what he loves.

Speaking in an interview with the Premier League, Chilwell has revealed his love for chess has helped him keep active.

‘Me and Reece James play online chess against each other quite a lot,’ he said. ‘He wins a few and I win a few.’

‘We played a game on the way back from Russia in the Champions League. I think it was one game, but it took four hours – the whole flight.’

Chilwell has taken the sport so seriously he also added that for Christmas he wanted a gift that would improve his chess skills.

‘I asked my mum for some chess books and a chess board for Christmas. That has helped me.’