Chelsea have knocked back an inquiry from Liverpool over the potential availability of Ryan Bertrand, with the 23-year-old left-back seeking to take what opportunities he can with the Europa League winners.
The Londoner, who has two England caps, is Ashley Cole's understudy at Stamford Bridge and, with the veteran having signed a new one-year contract at the club, will go into the new campaign as second choice once again.
José Mourinho has spoken to Bertrand about the role he will play in the season ahead - talks the player described as "very positive", with Chelsea's decision to deflect Liverpool's interest an indication of his standing.
The full-back is contracted until 2016 and, having featured in 38 of the Londoners' 69 games last term, will have a significant role to play again with Cole's ankle condition - the joints tend to swell up after matches, requiring rest and recovery time - and the lack of alternative options.
"I want to be Chelsea's No1 left-back, and when that time comes it will happen," Bertrand said. "All I can do is be ready and keep playing, keep biding my time. I'm thinking of nothing else. I am just focusing on being No1, concentrating on progression in the games I get, and I've managed to do so in recent years."
Bertrand, who started the Champions League final in 2012, was signed from Gillingham for an initial £125,000 as a 15-year-old and is one of the few graduates of Chelsea's impressive academy facility to progress into the senior setup to feature with any regularity since John Terry made the step up more than a decade ago.
Source: Guardian
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