Chelsea fans in the Football Transfer Tavern have been a rarity over the last 9 months or so, they’ve been keeping out of the way and hiding their embarrassment from the other punters. However, with what looks like a positive new era on the horizon they are starting to re-emerge in the build up to the new season.
A 10th place finish for Chelsea only one year after winning the league title probably wasn’t what was on the fans mind at the start of the 2015/16 campaign, but after Mourinho lost the confidence of the squad and the results started to plummet, the Blues hopes of retaining that league title were crushed.
Whilst it’s doubtful that Chelsea will have a repeat season, they certainly won’t go into the 2016/17 season as title favourites. Although they won’t be going into the new season as favourites, their new manager Antonio Conte will want to bring the Premier League trophy back to Stamford Bridge. If that is to happen, then the Italian will need a strong core within his new squad.
With that in mind, a few Chelsea fans that have managed to make their way back into the bar have been debating which players will be the most important over the next season. One of our barmen was clearing this evening and found a bar mat with the final three players that those fans think can help bring back glory, and here they are…
Eden Hazard
After scoring a mere 4 goals in 31 games last season, Hazard will have to do a lot to prove that he is still one of the best players in the world.
It is easy to forget how good a player can be when they go a whole season off form, but watching Winger grow into the European Championships as Beligium progressed, the whole world is starting to see how good the 25-year-old is again and Chelsea fans couldn’t be more delighted.
If Hazard has completely regained his form in time for the 2016/17 league season, then every defender in the Premier League should be very afraid right now.
Thibaut Courtois
Another Belgian who could be crucial to Chelsea’s potential successes next season, is Thibaut Courtois. Much like Hazard and the rest of the Chelsea team, he had a disappointing season by his standards but as the old saying goes, form is temporary, but class is permanent and the Belgian international is a world class keeper.
A great keeper needs his defence and the Chelsea back line let him down last season but with a strengthened squad and a regained level of confidence within the squad, the 24-year-old will play a major role in Chelsea’s Premier League outing in 2016/17.
N’Golo Kante
If every newspaper in the country is to be believed, Chelsea are the front runners to sign the Premier League winning midfielder, N’Golo Kante, from Leicester City.
There aren’t many teams that wouldn’t take Kante after the season he has had, a true unsung hero of Leicester’s incredible campaign. Last season, at their lowest point, Chelsea were broken down far too easily in their midfield and the Frenchman would be the perfect fit to sweep up in the middle of the park.
The mixture of playing in a title winning team and gaining international experience for France at the Euros this summer, will give him the perfect idea of what would be expected of him if he were to join a club of Chelsea’s status and, if he continues to play the way he did last season, this deal could be one of the best all year.
Chelsea fans, what do you make of this list? Could these three form the key core of your squad over the next season and bring back the Premier League to Stamford Bridge? Let us know below…
