Ryan Bertrand hits out at his parent club.
Southampton loanee Ryan Bertrand has accused his parent club Chelsea of being dishonest with him over his role at the club, report the Evening Standard, with the left back speaking to the Saints programme ahead of yesterday’s 2-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers – in which Bertrand scored the crucial opening goal with a fine striker after Sadio Mane’s brilliant backheel.
SEE MORE:
Goalkeepers Liverpool should target to replace Mignolet
Teenagers who could be set for January transfers
Arsenal to open Khedira talks
Bertrand has spent the majority of his career with Chelsea after being signed as a teenager from Gillingham, but has struggled for opportunities at Stamford Bridge, largely playing his football during loan spells with the likes of Reading and Aston Villa, before another temporary move to St. Mary’s this summer.
The left back’s finest moment in a Chelsea shirt undoubtedly came when an injury and suspension crisis meant that he played in the Blues’ victorious Champions League final against Bayern Munich – but no more opportunities came from this, something that Bertrand professes to be frustrated by:
“That’s when the alarm bells rang. Before that, I had a chance to move from the club, but I was advised that I didn’t need to do that.”
“It all unravelled in front of my eyes, and certain things didn’t make sense in terms of what certain people had said to me. All I ask for is honesty, and I didn’t get that.”
Bertrand’s frustrated comments echo the experiences of a number of young Chelsea players, with the club having favoured bringing in seasoned professionals rather than developing their own talent in recent years – with even Nemanja Matic having had to leave the club before returning to prove himself as a player worthy of the Blue shirt.