Maurizio Sarri
Chelsea have kicked off their Premier League campaign in an authoritative manner under new manager Maurizio Sarri with three wins from their first three games. The new manager brought in Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho as midfield reinforcements and his new signings haven’t disappointed.
While Jorginho has played the role of a deep-lying playmaker, successfully dictating the tempo of the midfield with his elegance and range of passing, Kovacic has announced himself in an advanced role. The youngster is adept at making effortless tackles, winning possession and playing through balls.
Although Chelsea have won their first three games, Sarri still has a few areas to work on if he intends to challenge Manchester City and Liverpool for the crown.
The Blues haven’t looked like a solid unit at the back with David Luiz terribly out of touch. The Brazilian has found it difficult to mark the opposition’s attackers and seems to have little understanding with Antonio Rudiger at the heart of the defence.
On the other hand, Alvaro Morata had a poor outing against Newcastle United despite scoring against Arsenal. The Spaniard hasn’t been able to deliver goals on a consistent basis, which should force Sarri to think about a possible replacement.
Here are three players Chelsea could sign in January.
Chelsea have managed to keep Eden Hazard in their ranks for the time being but it would be difficult to shield him from potential suitors in the near future.
Ousmane Dembele moved to Barcelona in 2017 after a fantastic season with Borussia Dortmund but the 21-year-old hasn’t been able to replicate his wonders at Camp Nou. The Catalans also signed Malcom from Serie A club AS Roma, which is a clear indication that Dembele will face a shortage of game time.
The French speed machine would be the ideal replacement for Hazard with his pace, agility, and trickery down the sides. A composed finisher, he can not only create chances but is also equally adept at putting them away.
Chelsea have struck gold with signing Mateo Kovacic on a temporary basis but once he leaves, the Blues will have a massive void to fill.
At 23, Serbia’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic looks destined to become one of the best midfielders in the coming years. He is the perfect description of a complete midfielder.
The Serbian not only has the vision and guile of a playmaker but also has the positioning and physicality of a defensive midfielder. He has a remarkable eye for goal and a good range of passing. The 23-year-old looks comfortable with the ball at his feet and has a lot of tricks up his sleeves to outfox the opposition. Milinkovic-Savic is strong in the air as well, making him a target man during set-piece situations.
Pairing David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger in central defence does not seem like a compact idea at all. To be fair, Sarri does not have too many other choices besides Andreas Christensen and Gary Cahill. While the former is a promising option, the latter seems to have slowed down a bit with age taking a toll on his body.
Bayern Munich’s Niklas Sule should be the perfect option for Chelsea. The 22-year-old centre-back has improved tremendously over the years and is now a regular starter for Bayern. He also featured in Germany’s World Cup squad in Russia.
At 22, Sule still has his best years ahead of him and could prove to be a long-term solution for Chelsea with Antonio Rudiger. Rudiger and Sule have played together in the past and the duo should be able to form a healthy understanding between them.
