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Chelsea forward Andre Schurrle has told reporters that he has “loved” his time so far at Chelsea and that he has developed as a player under Jose Mourinho.
The 23-year old forward, a member of Germany’s World Cup squad, joined Chelsea from Bayer Leverkusen in an £18 million move last summer. He initially struggled to break into the Chelsea side, but excelled in the second half of the season and has established himself as a key member of Mourinho’s squad.
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“I’ve loved it. I wanted to leave Germany to test myself, and Chelsea has been a fantastic experience that has allowed me to develop as a player,” he told TalkSport.
“The fans have welcomed me so quickly, and I really enjoy being at this club and playing for these fans.”
Continuing by pinpointing just how he has improved, Schurrle praised the physicality of the English game.
“My body is much stronger – that’s the main thing. The game here is a lot more physical, so I’ve got bigger and won more close battles for the ball. I’m much more confident in the way I want to play, too. I know what I need to do, I know how to prepare and I know what I want. So I think I changed a lot, and I hope I can do better next season.”
Schurrle played 30 times in the Premier League last season, scoring eight goals. His strike-record, combined with Mourinho’s lack of faith in his forward line, meant that he started some games up front, including the Champions League quarter-final first leg with Paris Saint Germain. Schurrle continued by insisting that he can play in the position, and would do for his country, but conceded that he prefers to play elsewhere.
“I think I can play it, but it’s not my main position. I don’t feel most comfortable in this position – but, if the manager doesn’t have any other options, I have no problem. The way I play, I can come to the ball, I can move into the space, so it’s no problem. I think with Miroslav [Klose], we have a striker who is perfect for the position, so hopefully I’m not needed there.” Schurrle scored 20% of his PL shots last season
