Summary Chelsea have shown improved form under Mauricio Pochettino over recent weeks. Cole Palmer has been one of the shining lights, though the Blues' reported dream signing could derail his progress. Signing Jamal Musiala from Bayern Munich would be a significant upgrade for Chelsea and could take them to the next level, although it might require a hefty fee to convince Bayern to sell.
Chelsea look like they have finally found some consistent form under Mauricio Pochettino in recent weeks, despite their recent unbeaten run coming to an end this weekend against Brentford.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing for the Argentinian during his first few months in charge of the club as they currently occupy 11th place in the Premier League table, winning just three of their ten matches thus far.
A win over Brighton and Hove Albion in the EFL Cup sparked a run which has included league victories over Fulham and Burnley, while they came close to defeating Arsenal last week.
Defeat to the Bees on Saturday lunchtime is an untimely setback, though progress has nevertheless been made in recent weeks.
With no European competition to divert attention to this term, Pochettino has plenty of time between matches and this should help the Blues work their way into the top six.
The former Paris Saint-Germain boss has begun to make the squad his own, signing a host of players over the summer that could help establish Chelsea as one of the finest teams in the country if he is given plenty of time to develop them.
The next two transfer windows will be key for the manager, but will they continue to sign some of the most talented youngsters in the game?
Chelsea would love to sign Jamal Musiala from Bayern Munich
Over the previous year, the Blues have managed to sign talents such as Enzo Fernandez, Deivid Washington, Malo Gusto and Andrey Santos among others, yet they don’t appear to be resting on their laurels.
According to reporter Simon Phillips via his Substack, Musiala is Chelsea’s dream signing, especially considering his meteoric rise at Bayern in recent years.
The 20-year-old was actually at Chelsea as a youngster, but chose to join the German giants in 2019. According to Football Transfers, the Germany international is now valued at €92.3m (£81m), although considering their recent spending habits, this type of fee shouldn’t deter the club.
It would be a massive coup if Pochettino did manage to convince him to return to his previous club and much will depend on how well the Stamford Bridge side do this season.
They already have a few decent attacking-midfield options in their current squad, including Cole Palmer, who made the move from Manchester City during the summer for a fee which could reach £42.5m.
Cole Palmer has settled in well at Chelsea
The 21-year-old made his debut for City during the 2020/21 season, and he looked like he would be the next big thing to emerge under Pep Guardiola, following in the footsteps of Phil Foden.
The Englishman made 25 appearances in all competitions last term and played a part in City winning the treble, while he even scored twice in his first three games of the current season, and it looked as though he could become a regular in the starting XI.
Chelsea came calling, however, and Palmer has begun life in London fairly well. Across just eight matches, he already has four goal contributions to his name – two goals and two assists – and he currently ranks joint-first in the squad for goals and assists in the Premier League (three), while ranking first for big chances created (four) and key passes per game (1.5), showing an immediate impact.
But as good as Palmer has been, a move for Musiala would be seen as an upgrade on the former City starlet, especially regarding his performances since the start of the 2022/23 season.
Jamal Musiala could be an upgrade on Cole Palmer
Last season, the former Chelsea kid was in sensational form. Across 47 matches for Bayern, he scored 16 goals and registered 16 assists, a stunning total considering he was only 19 years old for the majority of the campaign.
The youngster has received plenty of praise for his displays of late, and Michael Owen waxed lyrical about the attacking midfielder, saying: “I think he is exceptional, really exceptional. It’s such a shame he chose Germany over England! I thought he was brilliant in the last major tournament.
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"There’s lots of people comparing him to Bellingham but I think he is a different type of player. He’s a brilliant runner with the ball. I think he’s unbelievable when it comes to dribbling. He’s got the lot, this lad."
It is natural to compare him to the other young talent that is emerging across the continent, and judging by his statistics in the Bundesliga last term, he certainly could be an upgrade on Palmer.
Musiala scored more league goals (12 vs 0) and grabbed more assists (ten vs one) than Palmer, while also registering more shots on target per game (0.8 vs 0.3), created more chances (11 vs 1) and averaged more key passes per game (1.6 vs 0.4), clearly showcasing his superiority, although he did play more games than the City gem.
When compared with positional peers playing at a similar level over the previous 12 months, Musila ranks in the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90 (4.2) along with ranking in the top 8% for assists per 90 (0.34).
In contrast, Palmer only ranks in the top 35% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.88) when compared to positional peers, while ranking in the top 19% for assists per 90 (0.27) – making it clear who has been the better player.
Signing Musiala could take Chelsea to the next level, there is no doubt about that. However, Bayern are unlikely to part with one of their finest players, and it could take an extravagant fee for them to even consider selling.
Palmer has performed well since arriving at the Blues, and he could settle into the attacking-midfield slot on a regular basis over the coming months. But if Musiala arrives, the duo could potentially fight it out for their preferred position – and on the basis of last season, there is only one winner.
