Southampton Loanee Ryan Bertrand: Chelsea 'Have Been Dishonest' About My Future With the Blues

Ryan Bertrand has edged closer to the exit door at Chelsea after claiming the club have been dishonest to him in the past regarding his first team involvement at Stamford Bridge.

Currently on loan at Southampton, Bertrand is in his seventh different spell away from west London having failed to hold down a regular place since joining the club in 2005.

The 25-year-old has played every minute of Southampton's Premier League campaign and had been key to the club's impressive start to the season, which has included five successive wins in all competitions.

Though contracted to Chelsea until 2017, Bertrand has opened the door to an early exit from the club in the January transfer window by criticising the way he feels he has been treated by the Premier League leaders.

"The situation [at Chelsea] became clear to me before I went on loan to Aston Villa [in January]," he said.

"Right from when I was 17, I was getting those 15, 20, 25, 30-plus games a season until I hit a stumbling block.

"That's when the alarm bells rang. Before that, I had a chance to move from the club – because I just want to keep my career moving – but I was advised 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.

"Since I left to go on loan to Villa, it's been about me again. I'd never rule anything out but it's just been about getting out there and playing consistently without the thought process of what Chelsea think or whether I'm going back there."

Bertrand's future at Chelsea appeared to be bleak before he started the 2012 Champions League final, however the reappointment of Jose Mourinho has seen the England international tumble down the pecking order.

Ashley Cole departed the Blues in the summer but the signing of Filipe Luis and Mourinho's trust in Cesar Azpilicueta means Bertrand's first-team prospects have failed to improve, leading to his move to St Mary's.