Chelsea are second in the Premier League heading into the international fixtures.

It was a turbulent summer at Stamford Bridge with Antonio Conte’s future plunged into doubt after Chelsea failed to finish in the Premier League top four. Conte lifted the FA Cup but was eventually given the boot by Roman Abramovich. New boss, Maurizio Sarri, was given limited time in the transfer market to strengthen the squad he inherited.

Nevertheless, the Italian has got the Blues back to their best, and they are behind Manchester City at the top of the table only on goal difference. Sarri has got the feel-good factor back at Stamford Bridge, and players like Eden Hazard are flourishing under his leadership. It’s likely the former Napoli boss will want to open his chequebook in the January window to find one or two players who can provide a welcome boost in the New Year.

One man who should be on his shortlist is Marseille winger – Florian Thauvin. Valued at £45m by Transfermarkt, the 25-year-old has played in the Premier League before, making 13 appearances for Newcastle back in 2015 as they were relegated to the Championship. Thauvin was never given a chance to settle at St. James Park and was later sold back to Marseille.

Back in France, the forward showed the Magpies exactly what they were missing out on. Thauvin earned a spot in France’s World Cup winning squad following an exceptional season last year where he scored 22 goals in Ligue 1. Eager to prove he is not a one-season wonder, the winger has already scored seven goals and registered three assists in the league this season.

A goalscoring winger is hard to come by, and Thauvin could be the perfect player to bolster Chelsea’s attack. With Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud struggling to score consistently, the Frenchman’s arrival could help improve their fortunes in front of goal. Like Hazard, Thauvin loves to beat his man, averaging 1.6 successful dribbles per game this season, but also loves to pick out his team-mates with a killer pass – completing 1.3 key passes per game (WhoScored).

It’s time Chelsea give Thauvin a second chance in the Premier League.

Chelsea fans, thoughts?