Chelsea fans have every right to be excited ahead of their first season under their new manager Antonio Conte. The Italian led his side to an impressive 1-0 win against rivals Liverpool in the International Champions Cup. Even though it was just a friendly, a win over Liverpool is always special for the fans. Conte comes with whole new footballing ideas and we have to wait and see how the former Juventus and Italy boss fares in the Premier League.
In this article, we will take a look at three Chelsea players who found themselves out of favour at Stamford Bridge but should be hopeful of turning around their stalled Chelsea career under Conte.
Papy Djilobodji
The Senegalese was snapped up by Chelsea in the closing stages of the last summer transfer window. It seemed like a desperate signing from Mourinho and quite expectedly, the 27-year-old is yet to make his mark at the club. Only one appearance in Chelsea shirt- that’s what Djilobodji has managed so far in a whole season. However. his six-month loan spell with Bundesliga side Werder Bremen was quite an impressive one and probably he will get a chance to impress under Conte. The Italian often switches his tactics during the game and will definitely call for three at the back. With Zouma still working his way back to full fitness, the Senegalese will be third in the pecking order at the heart of the defence after Terry and Cahill. He will certainly get his chance to shine but he has to make his chance count.
Victor Moses
The 25-year-old signed for the Blues from Wigan for £9million back in 2012 but has since become a peripheral figure at Stamford Bridge, having spent the past three seasons on loan at Liverpool, Stoke City and West Ham United. Now is the Nigerian’s big chance to force his way into the first team of the Blues. He is 25 now and does not have much time on his side, it’s pretty much now or never for him. A strong winger with blistering pace who likes to take defenders on, Conte will definitely love his qualities and Moses will get his chance to make his mark. He has to ensure that he makes justice when opportunities finally come his way.
Juan Cuadrado
When the Colombian made his big-money move from Fiorentina to Chelsea in January 2015, very few would have expected him to be deemed as a ‘flop’. The 28-year-old went on to make just four Premier League starts in the second half of the 2014-15 campaign and was shipped out on loan to Juventus last term. Cuadrado is a seasoned campaigner in Serie A and pretty much ticks all the boxes of Conte’s demand from wide players. From his time in Serie A, Conte knows the 28-year-old closely and we can expect the Colombian to play a major part for the Blues now.
