Borussia Monchengladbach sporting director Max Eberl is confident his club still has a chance of keeping Andreas Christensen.
The Danish defender is in the second season of his two-year loan deal with the Bundesliga outfit and during his time with Die Fohlen, is emerging as one of the most talented young centre-backs in Europe.
Eberl is aware that Gladbach are unlikely to be able to afford the 20-year-old but at least knows that Chelsea will not cash in and offload the player to a big club such as Barcelona or Bayern Munich.
"It will be a hard task (to keep him) but I am hopeful that we can do it," he told Sky Deutschland.
"We probably won't buy him but maybe there's another way. And even if he has only been with us for two years, that would be a great story.
"He's a top player. Chelsea are taking care of those players they've loaned out very well.
"Andreas has said, 'if I can start matches for Chelsea, I will go back'.
"He'll be a world-class player. Chelsea are not going to sell such a player to Barcelona or Bayern. So, another way is still possible."