Tuchel verdict key as Chelsea flop comes up with plan to kickstart season (original) (raw)

Chelsea midfielder Saul Niguez has come up with an interesting plan to kickstart his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge.

The Spain international joined Chelsea on loan in the summer from Atletico Madrid. It cost the Blues an initial £3.4m, and they have the right to sign him permanently for £30m next year.

Saul made his debut for the Blues in September’s 3-0 win over Aston Villa. However, he struggled to impress Tuchel and was hauled off at half-time.

Game time has since been hard to come by for the 26-year-old. He made a late cameo in last month’s victory against Newcastle but barely got hold of the ball.

Saul has mainly had to rely on the Carabao Cup for opportunities to pick up some confidence. He featured in the penalty shoot-out wins over Aston Villa and Southampton.

The Telegraph now provide an update on Saul. They claim that the playmaker will work hard in the international break to regain Tuchel’s trust. He looks set to remain at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground after missing out on the recent Spain squad.

Saul will work intensely with the club’s first-team coaches to get up to speed. He will then aim to feature in the next Premier League game against Leicester City on November 20.

The star’s hopes are made brighter by the recent returns of Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. They are back in the fold after being frozen out by Tuchel previously.

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Saul feels at home in west London thanks to his relationship with compatriots Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

There has been no talk of cutting the loan short for him to return to Spain. Atletico could not afford him anyway after Antoine Griezmann’s transfer from Barcelona.

Saul is intent on proving his worth and replacing one of Tuchel’s first-choice midfielders over the next few months. However, it is clearly down to the manager to decide whether he is good enough.

The player has lifted a La Liga title, Copa del Rey and two Europa League trophies so far in his career.

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Chelsea in fierce competition with Newcastle for ace

Meanwhile, the race for Real Madrid attacker Eden Hazard is hotting up. The Belgian is free to leave after being made surplus to requirements under Carlo Ancelotti.

Spanish outlet Sport write that Newcastle have set their sights on Hazard. He is now their first-choice target heading into January.

That looks set to spark an intriguing transfer race. Chelsea are monitoring the situation and could hand him a return to Stamford Bridge.

The winger was one of the Premier League’s top performers before his £150m move to Real two summers ago.