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Chelsea Football Club face a potentially disastrous situation next season. They have been slapped with a transfer ban, which means they will be unable to sign any players.
While Chelsea have appealed to CAS in the hope of overturning the ban, the summer transfer window has already started. It seems that even if the ban is lifted, Chelsea will get a shortened window and will not be able to fulfill key targets.
Amidst all of this chaos, Eden Hazard has moved to Real Madrid. Moreover, Maurizio Sarri has also left Chelsea on mutual terms and has signed a contract with Juventus.
The above-mentioned situation has been aggravated further with key players like Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi going down with long-term injuries.
Chelsea are left with no option but to continue with their current squad and bring more players in from the loan army as reinforcements.
Loanees at Stamford Bridge do not have a very good record of being promoted to the first team. The transfer ban, however, provides an opportunity to change the past; an opportunity to shrink the everlasting gap between the academy and the first team.
Here, we take a look at 3 players who could lead Chelsea through this turbulent phase.
Tammy Abraham (2018-19 - Aston Villa)
Tammy Abraham has been in sensational form at Aston Villa. He has been scoring goals continuously, racking up some truly impressive numbers. He has shown some very important qualities that strikers at Chelsea have lacked.
Tammy has been involved in 29 goals, scoring a whopping 26 and creating 3 in the Championship. His prowess was also on show during the playoffs, where he calmly scored a penalty to lead his team towards the Premier League.
Before his Aston Villa loan, Tammy was a raw talent. His goal-scoring ability was based on the quality of service his teammates offered. He required the team around him to build up play and give him chances to convert.
This weakness was exposed in his stint at Swansea City, where he was deprived of good service and he failed to do much. At Swansea, Abraham was a shadow of himself and failed to create any sort of impact.
This season, Aston Villa provided him with the break that he needed. He was just more involved in general. He often dropped deep to link up play, and his work-rate was quite high.
Chelsea's problem at the front has been dragging on for too long. They need a permanent solution, and Abraham seems like the perfect answer. Giving him time to settle at the top will further enhance his character and allow him to lead the Chelsea line for years to come.
Abraham has proved himself and deserves a shot at Stamford Bridge. This season could announce the arrival of a homegrown forward that could dominate the Premier League for years to come.
Kurt Zouma (2018-19 - Everton)
Kurt Zouma's career has been full of misfortunes. A few years ago, Zouma was regarded as the next big thing at Chelsea, and was given his debut in early 2014. It was a very planned move that was meant to groom the young player. He was touted as the leader of Chelsea's backline for the upcoming seasons.
Zouma had started growing into his role when he suffered a very unfortunate ACL tear. He remained on the sidelines for a very long time after that, which meant that the hype surrounding him faded away. He struggled to find form after his recovery and couldn't make his way back into the team.
This season, Zouma has done fantastically well on his loan spell at Everton. He has been an absolute rock at the heart of the Toffees' backline.
With Chelsea playing on four fronts next season, including the UEFA Champions League, it is important that they have depth in each and every position. Zouma would provide just that, giving competition to Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
Reece James (2018-19 - Wigan Athletic)
Reece James has been a revelation, to say the least. He has been the soul of Wigan Athletic and has carried them on his back throughout the season. James has been perhaps the most important player for Wigan, and his performances have not gone unnoticed.
A versatile fullback and an equally capable holding midfielder, James showcases physicality and versatility in every move. He is a star in the making.
Reece is very mobile on the field and is a fantastic crosser of the ball. He has some serious pace that could help in one-on-one situations with quick wingers.
With Cesar Azpiliceuta aging, Chelsea need to look with long term vision and deputize James. Considering his age, James has time on his side and can slowly grow into his role.
James has to be at Stamford Bridge next season, learning and playing his way to becoming a vital cog of the Chelsea system.
