Marcos Alonso looks set to commit his future to Chelsea after revealing the Premier League club have offered him an improved contract, although fellow defender Andreas Christensen has said he is running out of "patience".
Alonso has become an integral part of the Chelsea team since moving to Stamford Bridge from Fiorentina in the summer of 2016. The 27-year-old Spaniard excelled as a left wing-back under former manager Antonio Conte, helping the club win a league title and FA Cup in the Italian's two years in charge, and has started brightly under current coach Maurizio Sarri as a full-back, with Chelsea so far unbeaten this season.
Alonso signed a five-year contract when he arrived, but is now poised to be rewarded for his performances with a new deal. Speaking on international duty, Alonso revealed his intention to remain at Stamford Bridge, amid media reports he could be tempted by a move to the Primera Liga.
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"What I can say is that I am very calm and very happy at Chelsea, and that the club must also be with me because, although I still have two years left on my contract, the club have offered me an extension," Alonso told Spanish newspaper as.
"We are talking about it and the talks to renew are already advanced.
"If everything goes well, I think I will renew before the end of this month, in the coming days."
While times are good for Alonso at Chelsea, the same cannot be said for Christensen, who has struggled for regular football so far this season.
The 22-year-old Denmark international spent two years on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach before returning to become a key member of Conte's back three in 2017/18.
However, Sarri's arrival and a switch to a back four has seen Christensen make just three starts this term - and he is yet to appear in the Premier League.
"It has been a hard season. To be honest, it has been very difficult," Christensen said on bt.dk. "I had a good season last year and I played a good World Cup.
"I cannot stand to have so much patience again. Now I'm 22 years old and I really want to play.
"In the last three seasons, I've played, so it's clear that I do not see me staying if my current situation is also true in the future.
"It's too early to talk about when to change if I'm going to change. But it is clear that it is not a good situation for me."
David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger have been Sarri's preferred first-choice centre-back pairing, with Christensen starting Chelsea's two Europa League games and the League Cup win at Liverpool.
Chelsea's unbeaten start to the campaign, winning six and drawing two of their Premier League games to sit alongside Manchester City and Liverpool at the summit, has contributed to Christensen's lack of action.
"It has been difficult to get into the team, and when we get the good results that we currently do, it will only be even harder," he said.
"It's a gift for the team, but for me personally it has been a hard start of the season."