Chelsea will kick-start their pre-season campaign under newly appointed manager Maurizio Sarri against Perth Glory at the Optus Stadium in Perth later today. The Blues will be looking for a breath of fresh air under the former Napoli coach following their dismal performances under Antonio Conte last season. Chelsea will be without the likes of World Cup stars Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, N’Golo Kante, Gary Cahill and Ruben Loftus-Cheek while Kurt Zouma has not travelled to Australia due to an injury.
Below are five players who need a good pre season to remain at the London club.
Lucas Piazon
Ever since making his debut for the first team back in 2012, Lucas Piazon has struggled to leave a lasting impact at Stamford Bridge like many other youngsters who have had to seek other options due to the lack of opportunities with Chelsea. Piazon showed glimpses of his potential during his competitive as well as Premier League debut against Wolves and Aston Villa respectively, wherein he managed to grab an assist on both occasions en route to thumping victories for Chelsea.
However, since then the 24-year-old has had to go out on loan to 5 different clubs including Malaga, Vitesse, Eintracht Frankfurt and back to England with second division outfits Reading and Fulham. Piazon has impressed during his recent 2 year loan spell with Fulham, amassing over 50 appearances and registering about 10 goals during his time at Craven Cottage.
Often deployed anywhere ranging from wide left to wide right or just behind the striker, the Brazilian’s versatility could work wonders under a manager like Maurizio Sarri and his sound defensive work rate is an added bonus to any side that he will be playing for this season.
Danny Drinkwater
Danny Drinkwater has failed to rekindle the magic he produced at Leicester City, during the Foxes’ fairy tale run to the Premier League crown under Claudio Ranieri in the 2015/16 season, ever since joining Chelsea last summer. The midfielder completed a £35m move to Stamford Bridge ahead of the 2017/18 season and was forced to take a lengthy lay-off due to a thigh problem before making his debut only in October.
The 28-year-old struggled to find his best form as the season dragged on and was restricted to just 522 minutes of playing time in the Premier League and just 563 across all competitions to cap off a disappointing campaign. Drinkwater has been consistently linked with a move away from Chelsea this summer but the midfielder has traveled to Australia and is expected to be provided with an opportunity to try and impress the new manager as they prepare to take on Perth Glory.
David Luiz
Perhaps the change in coaching personnel at Stamford Bridge has helped David Luiz more than anyone at the club. After reportedly falling-out with Antonio Conte last season, Luiz was isolated from the starting line-up for the majority of the season and the lack of involvement certainly cost him a place in Brazil’s World Cup squad.
However, the appointment of Maurizio Sarri will certainly boost the defender’s credentials as he prepares to revive his career after a disappointing campaign last season, marred by injuries and alienation from the first team setup at Stamford Bridge. The 31-year-old made just 9 appearances in the Premier League last term, reportedly as a consequence for voicing his opinions against Conte’s tactics in training.