If one thing is for certain in what has been a very tumultuous year, it’s that Chelsea will be greatly bolstered by the additions of Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner ahead of the 2020/21 Premier League season.
There is a genuine reason to believe that the Blues can be Premier League title contenders next season. Frank Lampard’s young troops overcame pre-season expectations last season, to the point where bookmakers now have them at odds of +1000, or 10/1 when using an odds converter, on securing their first title glory since 2017.
Lampard’s youngsters are likely to be even better next season and Ziyech and Werner will only add to the overall quality and depth of the side. Today, we take a look at the role each player is likely to take within Chelsea’s first team squad.
Hakim Ziyech
Best started as an attacking midfielder or winger, Ziyech played a key role in helping Ajax Amsterdam reach the semi-final of the Champions League, as well as win the Eredivisie, during the 2019/20 season. Ziyech is known for an ability to move past defenders with ease and has a superb free-kick technique. At 27 years old, he is at the peak of his career. He could help to fill the void that was created by the departure of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid at the end of the 2018/19 season; a void the Blues have struggled with ever since. Ziyech’s passing ability, crossing and shooting will most certainly suit the Blues’ style of play perfectly.
Timo Werner
The 24-year-old Werner is regarded as one of the best strikers in the world. He is a footballer that Chelsea fans can realistically expect to bag 25-30 goals per season. Werner was a key component of RB Leipzig’s rise up the football hierarchy since their promotion to the Bundesliga in 2016. He arrives at Stamford Bridge with confidence, having scored 34 goals in all competitions for the Bundesliga side last season.
Werner’s arrival has created a debate over what Tammy Abraham’s future at Stamford Bridge will entail – if indeed he has a future at the club. If Lampard opts to continue with one striker, it goes without saying that either Abraham or Werner will struggle to get regular game time. Veteran striker Olivier Giroud is now at a stage of his career where he will probably not play every game, and the Frenchman will likely be used as a squad rotation player next season.
Do you think Chelsea’s star signings could propel them to domestic, or even European, success? Let us know in the comments.
