Schürrle: When Michael Ballack played for Chelsea I always used to watch as many of their games as I could. I liked their style of play and also liked the club and the players there. I'd hoped for the chance to play for them myself ever since.
DFB.de: Your friendship with Michael Ballack is widely known. Was he influential in your decision?
Schürrle: Yes, I spoke about it with him a lot, even last year when the transfer was first on the cards and I did the same this year. Michael had four great years at Chelsea and his opinion was very important to me. I've stayed in touch with him since he left Leverkusen and I'm very grateful to him for being so open to my questions.
DFB.de: You will be team-mates with Marko Marin at Chelsea. Were you in touch with him in recent weeks?
Schürrle: No, I didn't get the chance, but it's great for me that he's there. At the beginning it's always helpful to have a team-mate you already know and who you can talk to in your native language.
DFB.de: Jose Mourinho will be your new coach at Chelsea. How much are you looking forward to working with him? What have your international team-mates Sami Khedira and Mesut Özil said about their time with him at Real Madrid?
Schürrle: Both of them rave about him: The way he treats his players, the quality of training and how he manages to improve players. I met him two weeks ago and he's very charismatic, an impressive character. I can't wait to start working with him and I'm sure he'll help me become an even better footballer.
DFB.de: Three of your international colleagues play in the Premier League already: Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski at Arsenal and Lewis Holtby at Tottenham Hotspur. Did they give you any advice on playing in England or about life in London?
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With André Schürrle about to embark on a new chapter in his career after signing on with Premier League giants Chelsea until 2018, DFB.de caught up with the the 22-year-old for an exclusive interview. Speaking with editor Steffen Lüdeke, the Germany international chatted about his first impressions of London, receiving advice from Michael Ballack and his farewell in Leverkusen.
DFB.de: Mr. Schürrle, how have the last few weeks been for you? How long have you known that your transfer to Chelsea would go through?
André Schürrle: At Michael Ballack's farewell match the clubs finalised the last details of the deal. After that I went on holiday, first with some friends and then with my family. When I got back I flew to London for a couple of days, signed the contract and passed the medical. I'm back in Germany for a short while now to pack up my things and prepare to move over there.
DFB.de: How happy are you that the transfer went through?
Schürrle: I'm very relieved as I really wanted to take the chance to move to such a great club. It's fantastic that I can now take on the new challenge. I'm looking forward to everything at Chelsea: the first training sessions, my new team-mates, a new coach, a new league and a new city.
DFB.de: How much did you see of London in the two days you were there? What were your first impressions?
Schürrle: London is huge, it's an enormous city. I obviously didn't get to see very much, but I did visit a couple of nice places. I'm looking forward to experiencing the city as much as I am getting to know the club and my new team-mates. There's so much to do in London, it's incredibly diverse, as many different cultures come together there. It'll be fascinating to be a part of that.
DFB.de: In 2011 you played against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge with Leverkusen. Did that spark your desire to move to London?
Schürrle: When Michael Ballack played for Chelsea I always used to watch as many of their games as I could. I liked their style of play and also liked the club and the players there. I'd hoped for the chance to play for them myself ever since.
DFB.de: Your friendship with Michael Ballack is widely known. Was he influential in your decision?
Schürrle: Yes, I spoke about it with him a lot, even last year when the transfer was first on the cards and I did the same this year. Michael had four great years at Chelsea and his opinion was very important to me. I've stayed in touch with him since he left Leverkusen and I'm very grateful to him for being so open to my questions.
DFB.de: You will be team-mates with Marko Marin at Chelsea. Were you in touch with him in recent weeks?
Schürrle: No, I didn't get the chance, but it's great for me that he's there. At the beginning it's always helpful to have a team-mate you already know and who you can talk to in your native language.
DFB.de: Jose Mourinho will be your new coach at Chelsea. How much are you looking forward to working with him? What have your international team-mates Sami Khedira and Mesut Özil said about their time with him at Real Madrid?
Schürrle: Both of them rave about him: The way he treats his players, the quality of training and how he manages to improve players. I met him two weeks ago and he's very charismatic, an impressive character. I can't wait to start working with him and I'm sure he'll help me become an even better footballer.
DFB.de: Three of your international colleagues play in the Premier League already: Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski at Arsenal and Lewis Holtby at Tottenham Hotspur. Did they give you any advice on playing in England or about life in London?
Schürrle: Of course, especially Lukas and Per, who I was with on the USA trip. They told me lots of things about London, such as where they live and what life is like as a footballer in the city. They only had good things to say about it and the Premier League. They don't regret going there and I'm optimistic that it'll be the same for me. It's an outstanding league with lots of good teams. I'm sure the fast pace and the intensity of the matches in England will suit my game.
DFB.de: You are currently in Germany. What are your plans for the coming days?
Schürrle: I'm in Germany until the weekend and on Monday I'll move all my important belongings to London. For the time being I'll live in a hotel but I want to find a flat as soon as possible. That may take a while as we won't be in London much during pre-season. After just a couple of days there's a training camp in Asia, which is great for me as it'll help me get to know my new team-mates quickly.
DFB.de: You were at Leverkusen for two years. How sad are you to be leaving?
Schürrle: I'm very grateful to Leverkusen for the time I had there and for allowing me to take this step. I had a great time there. I've got a lot of friends in the squad and we were a really good team, there was a fantastic atmosphere. It's hard not to be emotional at leaving something like that behind. I wish Bayer and the guys all the best and I'll always look back on my time there fondly. However, the overriding feeling at the moment is excitement at the new challenge ahead. I can't wait to start my adventure in England and that's all I'm focusing on right now.
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DFB.de: Leaving Germany means you will see much less of your friends Mario Götze and Marco Reus…
Schürrle: That's true. Düsseldorf isn't very far from Dortmund so we've met up quite frequently. That won't be possible now, but I'm sure we'll find a way to see each other. After all, London's not on the other side of the world.
DFB.de: You will also inevitably meet up in the national team…
Schürrle: Exactly. I'm always delighted to be part of the national set-up. In the future it'll be even more special for me to come back over from England.
