Chelsea have previous with diminutive, technically phenomenal French playmakers, but unfortunately Gael Kakuta's progression at the club didn't quite go as planned. Jeremie Boga will be hoping to prove that second time is the charm, however, and with the club's academy far more knowledgeable and experienced in managing its youngsters these days, the Frenchman stands as good a chance as any of staking his claim as Oscar's successor in the No.10 slot. More robust than Kakuta ever was, Boga is the sort of player who may not be involved in every second of every game, but threatens to change games every time the ball arrives at his feet. A confident, direct dribbler with a decent finish, his range of skills extends far beyond empty trickery - take note, Wilfried Zaha - and he demonstrates intuitive intelligence in how he spreads the ball and drags defenders out of position. He's been at the club since 2008 and made his debut in the reserves at 15 years old. Having impressed in pre-season, particularly with a stunning goal against Austrian side RZ Pellets, he's likely to see extensive training time with the first team this season even if actual opportunities will probably be limited to cameos in the early stages of the domestic cups. Mourinho clearly has a lot of faith in him, however, and with good reason. He could do with scoring a few more goals, but is otherwise looking an outstanding asset for the club in years to come.
28-year old English writer with a borderline obsessive passion for films, videogames, Chelsea FC, incomprehensible words and indefensible puns. Follow me on Twitter if you like infrequent outbursts of absolute drivel.
