Since the start of the 2019–20 season, Mason Mount has established the standard of performance at Chelsea. Throughout some difficult times, his reliability, productivity, mindset, and energy made him an unstoppable presence.
At the conclusion of a taxing 63-game grind, the fact that he was chosen as the club's player of the season for the second consecutive season indicated as much.
Whilst the academy graduate's emergence has been a joyous story for supporters to witness, the lack of consistency to match him has proved an issue for Thomas Tuchel. At the beginning of last season, there was a challenge for the rest of Chelsea's attackers to step up and prove they could become as trusted.
In reflection, few of them did so across the next nine months. The fact the £97m signing from 2021 Romelu Lukaku has been sent back to Inter Milan on loan says as much. And rumours continue to swirl around more departures this window.
But maybe the responsibility on Mount's shoulders could be lessened with a new addition in Raphinha from Leeds. Although a transfer for the Leeds winger is yet to be finalised, Chelsea appear to have beaten Premier League rival Arsenal to his signature - although Barcelona could yet have a say in the matter - with Todd Boehly hoping to agree personal terms with the 25-year-old.
Raphinha's trickery from the right makes him an exciting addition, someone who can provide unpredictability and invention, two words that you could sadly not associate with Tuchel's attacking play consistently last season.
In addition to the Brazilian's natural flair, his influence and creativity in the final third should not be underestimated. As a stat from Expected Chelsea noted, only three Premier League players under the age of 25 have created more than 100 shot-creating actions in both the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons.
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