England international defender Ryan Bertrand has been rewarded for his fine recent form by signing a new five-year contract with Chelsea.
The 23-year-old was a surprise starter in midfield for the Blues’ Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich at the end of last season, while this season he has made his senior international debut in the recent friendly against Italy.
Bertrand could make his competitive England debut on Friday in the World Cup qualifier against Moldova, with Chelsea team-mate Ashley Cole ruled out of the game with an ankle problem.
That leaves either Bertrand or Everton’s Leighton Baines to fill in on the left side of defence in Chisinau.
England are 3/10 with bookmaker to make a winning start to their World Cup qualifying campaign and Bertrand and co are 4/6 to keep a clean sheet.
On their only previous visit to Chisinau in September 1996, England won by a 3-0 margin, thanks to goals from Alan Shearer, Nick Barmby and Paul Gascoigne.
