Gianfranco Zola noticed that January Chelsea signing Joao Felix has built some understanding with Kai Havertz which he said will prove important going forward.
After just two appearances, the on-loan Atletico Madrid star has already looked like a player Chelsea can build their team around.
Playing with the freedom to roam as a number 10 against West Ham last Saturday, Felix showcased the talent that made him a Golden Boy award winner.
Zola, who was clearly impressed by the Portugal international’s performance, highlighted the partnership between Felix and Havertz in that game.
“Nobody doubts the quality of Joao Felix,” the former Italy international told Sky Sports.
“We saw what he can do. The question, after playing different types of football in Portuguese and Spanish leagues, was consistency.
“But the other day and in the first game, he was sharp. Not only that, but he was also intelligent because he was always picking up positions where he was affecting the game.
“He was quick to turn, look up, and [had] some kind of understanding with Kai Havertz — and that’s very important.
“If you want to score and create more chances, the link-ups between players must be at the top.”
Both Havertz and Felix are expected to keep their spots in the team in the Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund, and hopefully, they have now built even more understanding between each other.
These two are arguably quite similar in that, while they can play as a number nine, they prefer to operate behind a striker.
However, rather tahan occupying each other’s space, they can fluidly switch places, and this makes defending against them a lot more difficult.
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