Former Chelsea player Pat Nevin believes a number of players who were on loan from the club last season will fancy their chances in the first team following Mauricio Pochettino’s departure.
The Argentine’s departure was announced last week after just one season at Stamford Bridge, and the Blues have moved quickly to agree a deal with Leicester City for Enzo Maresca to become their next manager.
It’s expected to be another busy summer with the Blues looking to strengthen their squad in key areas as they aim to get back into the Champions League next season.
Chelsea’s loan stars to be part of the first team next season?
Chelsea’s young squad struggled to gel at times last season, but towards the end of the campaign you could certainly see progress was being made, with the team showing what they can do by finishing with five wins in a row.
A number of youngsters didn’t impress Mauricio Pochettino with Armando Broja and Ian Maatsen being sent out on loan in January having failed to make an impact in the first half of the season.
Cesare Casadei was recalled from Leicester City in January, but was used sparingly in the second half of the season, whilst Andrey Santos, Angelo Gabriel and Omari Hutchinson all impressed on their loan spells at Strasbourg and Ipswich respectively.
A new manager means a clean slate and another chance to impress and stake a claim for a place in the first team squad next season.
Former Blue Nevin believes a number of youngsters who were out on loan will now fancy their chances of making it into the first team with Pochettino now gone.
“The vast majority of players not in the team have been injured”, Nevin told Spin Genie.
“If Poch had everyone fit for the whole of the season, I’d be able to give you six names on the top of my head because they weren’t starting every week.
“A player like Raheem would feel as though he wasn’t a major player for Pochettino lately but he won’t be too upset because that’s not his personality.
“It will only be players sent out on loan that will now think, ‘Good I’ve got an excellent chance of being part of the team next season’.
“Footballers are selfish and they have to be successful, that’s the deal, It’s the opposite of my personality generally but it’s also human nature and needed in football.”
