For Chelsea, the 2022-23 season was one to forget as they failed to live up to the lofty expectations, especially after spending huge money on new players.
The Blues ended up finishing 12th in the Premier League table and also sacked two managers in the form of Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter. And the poor strategy and recruitment, as well as three managerial changes—including Frank Lampard’s appointment in an interim role—has certainly played a vital role in the club’s downfall this past season.
Chelsea have now turned to Mauricio Pochettino, who will officially take over as the new permanent manager at Stamford Bridge on July 1. The Pensioners would be looking to drastically improve and get past their shortcomings this past season with Pochettino at the helm.
That said, here are the three Chelsea players to look forward to under Pochettino in the 2023-24 season.
- Mykhaylo Mudryk
Chelsea beat London rivals Arsenal to an £89m move for Mykhaylo Mudryk in January after his exploits at Shakhtar Donetsk. In the first half of the season, he scored seven goals in 12 league appearances for Shakhtar Donetsk, but he largely struggled following his move to Stamford Bridge, failing to score in 17 games. The winger only managed two assists, as the Blues finished 12th.
Mudryk is yet to get to grips with the Premier League and was erratic in Chelsea colours, although he showed flashes of his huge promise at times. With Chelsea having invested a lot of money in him, the Ukrainian international will hope to get some confidence and self-belief back on this ongoing international break before returning to the Premier League next season.
Once he restores his lost confidence and adapts fully to the demands of Premier League football, it will be interesting to see how Mudryk performs which makes him among the Chelsea players to keep an eye on next season.
- Wesley Fofana
Wesley Fofana arrived from Leicester City for £70million last summer but has failed to live up to his price tag so far, making only 15 Premier League appearances in an injury-hit debut season at Stamford Bridge.
The young French centre-back will be hoping to enjoy a far more consistent campaign with Chelsea next term. When he was fully fit to play, Fofana certainly looked a quality signing and could be given a chance to form a dominant partnership with veteran Thiago Silva under the tutelage of Pochettino.
However, the 22-year-old needs to keep himself fit and iron out some flaws in his game to unlock his massive potential at Chelsea. After a rough season, how Fofana bounces back next year is worth keeping a close watch.
- Enzo Fernandez
Enzo Fernandez joined on January deadline day from Benfica in a whooping £106.8million to become Chelsea’s record signing, but the central midfielder showed only glimpses of potential during the second half of the season.
The 22-year-old, who won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina in December, was asked to operate in a deep-lying role by Frank Lampard. Considering his attributes and style of play, Fernandez can be even more valuable to the Chelsea team if he is allowed to operate higher up the pitch.
That decision entirely lies with Pochettino and how he feels the Argentinean will fit in his system. But if he is used as an 8 and given more creative license, chances are we could see Fernandez play to the best of his ability and make more difference in the final third.
Having a manager like Pochettino should help the 22-year-old massively improve his game, which makes Fernandez a player to watch out for in 2023-24.
