Background
Chelsea suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Saturday. It was the Blues’ heaviest loss since being thrashed 7-0 by Manchester City in September 2016. The result has piled more pressure on under-fire manager Mauricio Pochettino and raised serious questions about Chelsea’s current squad.
Kovacic’s Chelsea Career So Far
Kovacic joined Chelsea on a season-long loan from Real Madrid in 2018. He made 51 appearances in his first season at Stamford Bridge, showing flashes of his undoubted talent but often struggling for consistency. In the summer of 2019, Chelsea made his move permanent for a reported £40 million. However, Kovacic has failed to nail down a regular starting spot under successive Chelsea managers and his performances have often left a lot to be desired. This season, he has started just 6 of Chelsea’s 13 Premier League games so far and was left on the bench for the Newcastle defeat.
Lack Of Impact
The main criticism of Kovacic during his Chelsea career has been his lack of goal threat and end product. For a midfielder, his numbers are extremely poor. In over 150 appearances for Chelsea, Kovacic has scored just 3 goals. He rarely attempts shots, provides few assists, and fails to dictate games from midfield. Against Newcastle, he came on as a substitute but had little impact, completing only 7 passes in his 25 minutes on the pitch. His passive, safe style of play does not seem to suit Pochettino’s high-pressing system. With competition for places intense in Chelsea’s star-studded midfield, Kovacic’s place in the starting XI is increasingly under threat.
Transfer Rumours
Kovacic’s future at Chelsea has been the subject of transfer speculation for over a year now. Reports in the summer suggested he was one of the players Chelsea were willing to sell in order to fund new signings. Inter Milan were linked with his signature but no move materialised. The Newcastle defeat is likely to spark fresh rumours about Kovacic’s long-term future at the club. At 25, he should be entering his prime years as a footballer. But with so little end product and a lack of consistency in his Chelsea performances, some are questioning whether he has a long-term future under Pochettino. A January exit could be best for all parties if a suitable offer comes in.
Competition For Places
The competition for midfield places at Chelsea is incredibly fierce. Summer signings like Denis Zakaria and Carney Chukwuemeka have added even more quality and depth. Established stars like N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Conor Gallagher and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are all ahead of Kovacic in the pecking order when fit and firing. Youngsters like Carney Chukwuemeka and Cesare Casadei are considered huge prospects. With so many options, Kovacic finds himself low on the list of preferred midfield options. Unless he can start producing more end product and dominating games, his place in the team will remain under threat.
Personal Verdicts
On current form, it’s difficult to see Kovacic remaining a regular starter under Pochettino. His lack of goals, assists and general impact has been problematic throughout his Chelsea career. With so much competition and younger, hungry players pushing for places, Kovacic’s position in the squad looks increasingly untenable. Unless he can turn things around quickly with a run of strong performances, a January exit could be the best solution for all parties. At 25, he needs to be playing regular football to fulfil his potential. But with so many options ahead of him now, his Chelsea career appears to be hanging by a thread after Saturday’s Newcastle disaster class. Only a drastic upturn in form can save his Stamford Bridge career.
