The only player to come out with a decent reputation last season at Chelsea was the Brazilian winger Willian. The 27-year-old was not expected to be the star man, but he was the one player who performed extremely well and was the reason why Chelsea had a few good games in the season.
The Brazilian did notch up 11 goals and seven assists in all competitions for the Blues and it wasn’t only his numbers which were great, his relentless work rate and desire to defend was just a glimpse of why he was a favourite of not only ex-manager Jose Mourinho and also of the Stamford Bridge faithful.
Willian seems committed to the Club that signed him a few years ago and it seems highly unlikely that he will move away from Stamford Bridge even under new manager Antonio Conte. We have however seen some rather crazy decisions taken at the club, like Mourinho selling Juan Mata even when the Spaniard was the player of the season for the Blues, so you can’t really say that they won’t be willing to let go of the winger if the right bid does come in.
Chelsea need to have alternatives for every player and here are three stars who could replace Willian, if the Brazilian was to leave.
Riyad Mahrez-
The best player in the Premier League last season, it should be no surprise that the Leicester City winger should be right on top of the list if there are any replacements required for a winger. Now Mahrez might not have the same levels of defensive contribution as Willian but his offence more than makes up for that.
18 goals and 11 assists in all competitions more than makes up for a lack of defensive contribution and with a lot of creativity coming from the 25-year-old Algerian, he would be the best option for Chelsea, even if they are not looking to replace a player.
Sofiane Feghouli-
Sofiane might not be a like for like replacement for Willian but Feghouli is known for his incredible work rate and defensive contributions even if he doesn’t get the goals or assists that would put a sheen on his performances.
The 26-year-old Algerian could be a cheap option from Valencia and he would certainly provide Chelsea with a lot of muscle down the wings. Feghouli is great in midfield also and his versatility and energy would be phenomenal for the Stamford Bridge club if they do want to replace Willian next season.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan-
The Armenian had another great season with Borussia Dortmund and it could be time for him to seek a different challenge than the Bundesliga, which seems to be Bayern Munich’s every season, even before the competition starts.
Mkhitaryan has an eye for a pass and his running and scoring ability are incredible. His movement would be key for Chelsea and also the strikers at the club. The 27-year-old had an astonishing 18 goals and 20 assists last season, something that Chelsea could have done with and if they do put in a decent bid for the Armenian, he could be the next signing for the Blues and a perfect replacement for Willian as well.