‘Notable impact’: Pat Nevin predicts Chelsea duo who are yet to play this season could still have role to play

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Pat Nevin thinks Denis Zakaria and Carney Chukwuemeka could still have important roles to play at Chelsea this season.

Zakaria and Chukwuemeka, who are both midfielders to join the Blues in the summer, are yet to make an appearance this campaign.

Zakaria, 25, is a fairly experienced central midfielder that’s arrived on a season-long loan from Juventus. He actually signed for Chelsea on deadline day within six hours of hearing about the initial interest.

Meanwhile, Chukwuemeka is an exciting 18-year-old rising talent that was grabbed from Aston Villa on a permanent basis.

Zakaria and Chukwuemeka

Nevin has suggested Chelsea’s fringe duo may actually be important at some stage this year.

“Denis Zakaria and Carney Chukwuemeka are players who could have a notable impact in their first season,” Nevin said.

If you see the fixture schedule has left Chelsea with nine games in October, you can predict Graham Potter is going to need the depth of his squad to navigate his way through that.

It’s a new beginning for the group of players following Potter’s arrival as head coach, so let’s see who becomes his early favourites.

Fans patiently waiting

The Blues fanbase just want to see Zakaria and Chukwuemeka both showing what they can do in Chelsea colours.

Zakaria, who made a name for himself as a defensive midfielder at Borussia Monchengladbach, can be a real engine in the centre of the park.

The left-footer has a lot of competition for places now he’s at Stamford Bridge, but everything suggests his game could suit the Premier League.

He just needs to be razor sharp and ready to seize his first opportunity.

Chukwuemeka’s come straight into the first-team fold since his summer arrival, so it’s a tad disappointing he’s yet to make his competitive debut.

However, the teenage midfielder did scored twice in a behind-closed-doors friendly win against Brighton. Surely, that’s given him credit in the bank with Potter.

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