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Frank Lampard opted to start 19-year-old Billy Gilmour in place of the injured N’Golo Kante in the hard-fought win at Crystal Palace on Tuesday, much to the delight of Chelsea fans around the world. However, the young Scotsman’s inclusion on Tuesday meant that Jorginho was once again forced to look on from the sidelines.
The Italian midfielder had not played a single minute of football since the Premier League restart before he was given scant minutes at Selhurst Park, with reports regarding his Chelsea future bundling in each day. Having been heavily linked with another reunion with Maurizio Sarri at Juventus, it looks like Jorginho could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge just two years after his £57 million capture from Napoli.
The 28-year-old was one of the first names in the starting line-up under Sarri during the 2018/19 season, as Chelsea finished third in the Premier League, reached the Carabao Cup final, and lifted their second Europa League trophy.
Under Lampard too, the Brazil-born midfielder was a regular starter in the central-defensive midfield role up until the coronavirus break. The Blues’ boss made it clear at the start of the season that Jorginho will remain a pivotal figure in his squad despite fans being publicly critical of him and rumours linking him with a move away from the West Londoners.
“The players are the ones who drive that when they get out there. [Jorginho] is a fantastic player. I saw that on the first day of training in Dublin. Talking about his attitude, he is a driver of the group and he has real quality. I am fortunate in midfield at the moment,” Lampard said after Chelsea’s UEFA Super Cup defeat to Liverpool in August.
“As a player, you know that you go and work for the club. He has a real passion for football and performance. I love that,” he further claimed.
Lampard also made Jorginho his vice-captain at the beginning of the campaign, further showcasing his trust in him. His ideal midfield three consisted of Jorginho in the middle with Mateo Kovacic or Mason Mount as the left-sided midfielder and Kante on the right. However, Mount’s attacking excursions would often force Jorginho and Kante to form a double-pivot in certain games.
The Frenchman’s best position in the side is a debate of its own. Whilst both Sarri and Lampard have used him as in an attacking role with Jorginho lying the deepest, it is pretty evident that he is most effective as a number six.
How important is Jorginho to Chelsea?
In his 15-minute cameo on Tuesday, Chelsea fans were reminded of Jorginho’s immaculate passing attributes, confidence on the ball, and ability to control the tempo of the game. Palace were piling up attack after attack until the former Napoli man exercised his command and composure on the game. Roy Hodgson’s men did hit the post in the dying minutes, however, that further exposed the Blues’ defensive frailties.
It is obvious that Lampard would not want to sell his deputy skipper and recognises his many talents which could come to fruit next season. Chelsea have already bolstered their attack with the arrivals of Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner this summer and are apparent favourites for the signature of Bayer Leverkusen star-man Kai Havertz.
In what could be an extremely dangerous-looking Chelsea side next season, we could see the in-form Christian Pulisic join the above-mentioned trio as the four attacking outlets up-front. Lampard would then have to deploy a two-man shield behind them with Kante a definite no-brainer.
The question then surrounds the other defensive midfield position. Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are both attacking midfielders and Mateo Kovacic is a box-to-box ball-carrier. That leaves Jorginho and Billy Gilmour as the only available options to partner Kante in the middle.
Whilst Gilmour is considered a prodigy and has shown his potential on the biggest stages, he cannot be given a permanent starting role given his tender age. Although bright against Palace, the teenager was subpar against Leicester City in the FA Cup and rightfully substituted at half-time.
Jorginho’s unmatched experience then comes to the fray. He is a natural leader of the pack and Lampard would want a mature voice in his dressing room full of budding talents. However, recent events seem to suggest that the Englishman does not have the Italian in his plans anymore.
Do Chelsea need to buy a replacement for Jorginho?
Reports earlier this season suggested that Chelsea were interested in landing Miralem Pjanic from Juventus with Jorginho going the other way. However, the Bosnian international has now swapped colours with Barcelona’s Arthur, further augmenting Sarri’s plethora of midfield options.
Jorginho will not be cheap considering that he still has three years left on his contract. And if the Chelsea board wish to sell him, they would want to recoup the money they paid for him to Napoli. The midfielder’s agent recently said that Jorginho’s stock has risen since his move to Chelsea.
“His price-tag has certainly gone up over the last two years. He has done well in London and become a regular for Italy. He is now the vice-captain at Chelsea and has amassed a great deal of experience playing in the Champions League and Europa League,” Joao Santos told Calciomercato.
A move to Turin, therefore, looks less likely from a financial point of view, especially in the current climate. Jorginho will also have to compete with the likes of Blaise Matiudi, Rodrigo Bentancur, Sami Khedira, and new recruit Arthur Melo at the Allianz Stadium which would not be the most exciting proposition for him.
However, Sarri will pounce on every chance to get his favourite student back under his tutelage for next season. But will that force Chelsea to resort to the transfer market? Probably not.
The Blues have already spent heavily this summer and still have to bring in defensive reinforcements whilst dreaming about Havertz. A replacement for Jorginho, therefore, would be last on their priority list.
Gilmour and Kovacic are obvious candidates to fill his void but Chelsea fans would be ecstatic if Ethan Ampadu is kept in the first-team squad next season. The Welshman’s loan spell at RB Leipzig was not the most fruitful. However, he did impress whenever given a chance by manager Julian Nagelsmann.
The 19-year-old’s performance against Tottenham Hotspur was one of his best this season as he exhibited his defensive acumen and produced some excellent passing statistics. His eye-catching versatility allows him to play as a defender and a defensive midfielder which could be beneficial for Lampard.
Still, in need of minutes and experience, the Blues will most probably loan him out next summer. But having already nailed down a starting role under Ryan Giggs in the national squad, he could prove to be a Chelsea asset in the future.
As things stand, it looks like Jorginho is counting down his last days at Chelsea. However, that could very well change in the coming weeks.
