Denis Zakaria, a loan signing from Juventus to Chelsea on the final day of the transfer window, has yet to play a minute for the Blues.
Graham Potter Discusses the Prospects for Denis Zakaria at Chelsea
On Wednesday night, Chelsea plays Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League with little at stake. Chelsea has built up three straight victories after a lackluster start to the season, and Graham Potter has helped the Blues qualify for the last-16 and clinch first place with one game remaining.
It will seem reasonable for some rest and rotation to take place against the Croatian team given that they have four games still to play in the following two weeks after playing nine games in October. Particularly considering the recent addition of injuries to players like Reece James and Wesley Fofana.
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Omari Hutchinson was given the chance to travel with the club at the weekend, so although many may be expecting for the introduction of some lesser-known stars and intriguing kids, it may also be a chance for those in the first team squad to stake their claim.
Since joining Chelsea on loan on transfer deadline day, Zakaria has yet to play for the club, and despite the fixture list, it seemed like he made little progress toward Potter’s ambitions. The fact that Kovacic was forced to replace Gallagher against Brentford despite having a knee injury may have been the most telling factor. On that particular night, Loftus-Cheek was placed elsewhere, decreasing the number of players Zakaria had to contend with for a spot on the field.
The Swiss international, who stayed on the bench, has played more minutes this season for Juventus than Chelsea. Potter recently said that the loanee would get a chance soon, but he also mentioned the competitiveness in the middle of the park.
“Yes, and you can imagine every player wants to play, and when they don’t, they’re disappointed and frustrated. It’s normal, and you wouldn’t expect anything else, but I have to say he has conducted himself fantastically well in terms of with the group, supports his teammates really well, is always there, but you can tell he wants to play so, yeah, have to understand that situation, but he is fighting for the team, being really professional in training waiti
“Well, we just talked about Mason Mount, and that part of the pitch has Conor Gallagher, Ruben, and Jorgi. There is a lot of competition, so he isn’t exactly doing anything wrong. Simply put, I have to start someplace in terms of selection, and the other men will have to wait patiently, work hard on the side, and be ready when the team needs them, which is precisely what he is doing.”
The best opportunity is on Wednesday night, though there is a good probability that the squad will have additional competition from the development squad.
Will Charlie Webster or Lewis Hall be more likely to be paired with a more seasoned head who has played frequently this term if Potter wants to give them a chance?
His absence from the matchup with Dinamo would suggest that he could be better off moving on to other opportunities. Considering that players are only permitted to play for two teams in a season, that can only be accomplished outside of Juventus if Zakaria does not make an appearance for the Blues.
A second chance will be available in the Carabao Cup game against Manchester City, but the most significant thing of all will be whether he receives any playing time in the Champions League on Wednesday.