Chelsea: Two entirely different starting sides Graham Potter could name
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Todd Boehly has shown once again that he isn’t afraid to break the bank as he continues to spend since taking over at Chelsea.
The Blues continued their summer signing by bringing in eight new players this January, with the UK record signing of Enzo Fernández taking their expenses for the month to a whopping £323.5m.
Although Graham Potter will be delighted with the new recruits, including Fernández, Mykhailo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile and Joao Félix, it is hard to imagine how they will all fit in at Stamford Bridge.
Potter already has to face a Champions League team dilemma with UEFA rules stating that only three new players can be registered for the knockout rounds.
sports mail check out Chelsea’s bloated squad and the different ways Potter could line them up.
Todd Boehly has backed Graham Potter in the January transfer window, spending £323.5m.
Potter’s strongest XI
Champions League rules state that since Chelsea’s round of 16 tie against Borussia Dortmund, they can only register a maximum of three new eligible players for the remaining matches.
This means that Potter will be forced to sideline one of Fernandez, Felix, Mudryk, and Badiashile, with the latter potentially missing out.
After breaking the British transfer record to sign Enzo Fernández, there is no doubt that the World Cup winner will slot into the heart of Chelsea’s midfield.
Potter could field Fernández in any of the midfield three. For Benfica, he used to play on the left, while he started in the middle for Argentina’s victory in the World Cup final against France in Qatar.
A full strength squad would see Fernández partnered alongside N’Golo Kante and Mason Mount, with Jorginho now out of the picture after sealing a move to London rivals Arsenal on deadline day.
Behind midfield, Potter will undoubtedly stick with his talisman Thiago Silva, who is likely to partner Wesley Fofana in top form.
The two powerful defenders would surely be flanked by England internationals Ben Chilwell and Reece James, who are about to return to action. Kepa is a safe candidate to continue in goal after having snatched the number 1 position from Edouard Mendy.
Chelsea broke the British transfer record to sign Enzo Fernandez and is set to slot directly into Graham Potter’s midfield.
Benoit Badiashile may miss out on a place in the Champions League squad as Chelsea must abide by UEFA rules
At the other end of the field, Potter will probably feel compelled to use another new signing in Mykhailo Mudryk.
The Ukraine international has had a brief cameo since making his £88m move from Shakhtar Donetsk, but it was enough to show what he’s capable of.
In fact, the 22-year-old became the fastest Premier League player of the season after playing just 35 minutes of football in England.
Mudryk is likely to enter from the left and could be partnered with regular Kai Havertz up the middle and another addition, albeit on loan, in Joao Felix from the right.
The Potter XI Alternative
Chelsea’s signing has allowed Graham Potter to have a full second XI at his disposal.
Having Edouard Mendy as a backup is by no means a huge step down, although the Senegalese goalkeeper faces a spell on the sidelines with a fractured finger.
Potentially missing out on a Champions League spot, Badiashile isn’t a bad alternative either.
The 21-year-old has made a bright start to his life at Stamford Bridge and could easily lining up alongside Kalidou Koulibaly, who signed from Napoli for £34m on a four-year deal in the summer.
Having Kalidou Koulibaly as a backup option highlights the strength of depth that Potter has
Raheem Sterling is another star player who could fit into an alternative Chelsea, highlighting just how many forwards Potter has at his disposal.
The strong defensive core could be flanked by Trevoh Chalobah on the right and Marc Cucurella on the left.
Meanwhile, an alternative midfield could see Denis Zakaria, who is on loan from Juventus, operate alongside Conor Gallagher and former Real Madrid star Mateo Kovacic.
Going forward, Potter has the luxury of several talented stars to choose from, including Mudryk, Felix, Mount, Sterling, Aubameyang, Ziyech, and Pulisic.
In a completely different XI, Potter could use Sterling, Pulisic and Aubameyang as his front three.
The different teams that Potter could select leave several high-profile names in danger of being left on the Stamford Bridge bench.
The likes of veteran César Azpilicueta, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Marcus Bettinelli, Noni Madueke, Lewis Hall, David Datro Fofana, Gabriel Slonina and Hakim Ziyech aren’t even on either side.
Ziyech attempted to join PSG on deadline day, but the move fell through after it was claimed Chelsea submitted the wrong paperwork to sign the deal on more than one occasion.
Meanwhile, Pulisic has also been linked with a move away due to his lack of minutes with Potter.
And Sterling, who joined for £55m in the summer, had a difficult start at Stamford Bridge as he juggled being asked to play in a variety of different positions before picking up an injury against his former club Man City.
Who Potter will ultimately trust in his lineup remains to be seen, but he’s not short of options, that’s for sure.