After a poor campaign last season, Chelsea had big expectations when they brought Antonio Conte to Stamford Bridge last summer. However, even the biggest Chelsea fan probably would not have thought that the Italian would bring success as immediately as he has. Unless some kind of a remarkable dip in form comes Chelsea's way, the Blues look to be cruising on to the Premier League title.
It will be a historic achievement for Conte to win the biggest prize in English football in his first ever season in England. In fact, this is only his first season outside Italy.
It is a public perception that Premier League is much different to the other major European leagues and foreign managers often struggle to adjust to life in the so-called ‘best league in the world’. Conte is proving everyone wrong and no matter how much we praise him for the job he is doing, it won’t be enough.
When he took over Chelsea, the confidence of the players was low after a disappointing season. It was never an easy job but the Italian has shown it once again that he is one of the very best managers in the world and can do wonders with very little resources.
Even if Chelsea win the title this season, it is evident that their squad still needs strengthening. Champions League football should return to Stamford Bridge next season and for that, they need to part ways with many of the fringe players and replace them with ones who will challenge for first team football. In this article, let us take a look at five players who seem to have very little future at the West London club.
Let us take a look at five players who seem to have very little future at the West London club.
#1 Asmir Begovic
It is really hard for a football fan to see a keeper like Begovic languishing on the Chelsea bench week in week out. The Bosnia and Herzegovina international is easily better than most first-choice keepers in the Premier League and should have his eyes on playing on a regular basis once again. Still just 29, the former Stoke man would easily get a good club where he can play regularly between the sticks and Chelsea should not mind selling him as well with Thibaut Courtois being an omnipresent in their recent successes.
Begovic, who made his reputation as one of the best keepers in the Premier League while he was playing for Stoke City, was a subject of interest of Bournemouth in January. The Cherries have established themselves as a rising club in the Premier League in recent times and Begovic could prove to be a vital part of their progress thanks to his leadership and experience.
#2 Loic Remy
The Frenchman’s contract with Chelsea is expiring in the summer of 2017 and there is hardly any chance that either party will want to extend their association with each other. Remy was signed from QPR in 2014 and has won one Premier League title and a League Cup trophy at Stamford Bridge. However, overall, he has been a flop at the West London club. He has just made 47 appearances in a Chelsea shirt so far and most of them were from the bench.
Remy is 30 now but is still good enough to play at the highest level. The French international needs to leave Chelsea in the summer and move to a club where he can get regular playing time.
#3 Lucas Piazon
Chelsea’s loan policy has come under scrutiny time and time again. And one of the biggest talents to have been wasted by this system is certainly Lucas Piazon. The young Brazilian was touted to become a world-beater once but has hardly been able to justify his potential. Since 2013, he has played for Malaga, Vitesse, Eintracht Frankfurt, Reading and now Fulham on loan.
Now aged 23, Piazon still has time to recover and make the best use of his potential but first, he needs to leave Chelsea as soon as possible for the sake of his career. A fresh new start can still benefit him in the long run.
#4 Abdul Rahman Baba
Baba Rahman was signed by Chelsea in the summer of 2015 from Augsburg on a stupendous £22m fee but hardly got enough opportunities to justify his price tag. Despite not playing regularly while the team was struggling on the pitch, he was considered by Chelsea as a flop and was loaned out to Schalke last summer. Since then, he has been doing pretty well and should consider his future at Chelsea.
Chelsea have got a brilliant left wing-back in Marcus Alonso which means Baba will have to languish on the bench if he returns to Stamford Bridge in the summer. The best move for him would be to join Schalke on a permanent basis as Sead Kolasinac is also linked with a move out of the German club. Still just 22, the Ghana international has what it takes to make Chelsea regret not trusting him enough.
#5 Bertrand Traore
Amidst Chelsea’s dismal last season, Traore was a player who made the fans rejoice with his good showings in the closing stages of the season. It was a big surprise to see Conte loaning the Burkina Faso international out to Ajax in the summer. The fleet-footed forward, who can play anywhere in the final third, is having a decent season for the Eredivisie giants but his long-term future at Chelsea seems doubtful.
After Chelsea loaned him out last summer, Traore publicly criticised the Blues’ loan policy which his employers might not have taken too kindly. Well, we understand the reasons for his discontent, though. The 21-year-old was also a part of the pre-season squad of Chelsea and did pretty well out there. Potential-wise, he is one of the best young players at Stamford Bridge but hitting out on Conte and the hierarchy earlier in the season might prove to be costly for him.
