Chelsea have been given a huge boost at the start of January with Joao Felix being confirmed on loan.
The mood around the Blues has been dismal amid a run of just one win in eight matches that has left them tenth in the Premier League, while they’ve been eliminated from both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
But while results have been less than impressive, the club’s injury record certainly hasn’t helped matters.
As it stands, Chelsea have a number of players ruled out, with Edouard Mendy, Raheem Sterling, Christian Pulisic, Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Ben Chilwell, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Armando Broja all sidelined.
One area where Potter’s side are looking particularly thin at the moment is in attack, however that has been given a huge lift.
Chelsea announced the signing of Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid until the end of the season, with the Blues to pay a £10million fee and cover all of his £250,000-a-week wages.
Felix has just 25 league goals in 96 appearances for Atletico having joined them for £113million in 2019 and has found starts hard to come by under Diego Simeone, something that he’ll be looking to put right at Stamford Bridge.
With Felix on board and when all their players recover, Chelsea will have quite the team.
Kepa Arrizabalaga is currently the first choice at Stamford Bridge, although Mendy will be hoping to find his form when he does return from his broken finger.
In defence, Fofana is still sidelined and once everyone is fit, he’ll likely slot in alongside Kalidou Koulibaly and star defender Thiago Silva.
Down the flanks, Chelsea look like a different team with James and Chilwell in place, with fans desperate to see both players down each side of the pitch.
Mateo Kovacic is a core player for Potter’s side, meaning that it’s likely that Jorginho would lose his spot to a fully fit N’Golo Kante. That said, it remains to be seen when the soon-to-be out-of-contract star will be back to 100 per cent.
Chelsea have a number of attacking players currently out, however it’s Sterling who will be most missed.The England star was starting to find his form in the early parts of his Chelsea career but injuries have stunted his progress.
Mason Mount will remain in Chelsea’s best XI, however it’s essential that he finds his best form once again following a difficult few months.
With Broja sidelined and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang failing to impress since arriving from Barcelona, the hope will be that Felix will have the freedom to play his natural game and showcase his undoubted talent during his few months in the Premier League.
Here’s how a fully-fit Chelsea team could look in the second half of the season.
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