For much of Jorginho's career, he was doubted. Some felt he lacked the physicality required to thrive among football's elite. Others questioned his mentality. Yet he continued forward, ready to prove everyone wrong.
"I’ve had a turbulent start at every club I’ve been with. Every club. It’s incredible," he reflected during an interview with The Players' Tribune last year.
"When I came to Verona, nobody wanted me. They sent me on loan to the fourth division. Nobody wanted me there either. But I kept working and I won respect. I went back to Verona and we went up to Serie A. I had a hard year at Napoli, too, and then [Maurizio] Sarri came and changed everything."
Sarri's appointment as Napoli head coach was the turning point for Jorginho. He was given the keys to the Serie A side's midfield and thrived as the Neapolitans ran Juventus hard during the 2017/18 campaign.
Then came Chelsea and more doubt. Jorginho's first campaign was not easy. Some labelled him 'Sarri's son' as he had followed the Italian coach to Stamford Bridge in a deal worth £60million and was a fixture in the starting XI. Others felt he was too slow, too ponderous for the Premier League.
Jorginho improved in year two under Frank Lampard and was then named vice-captain early into the 2020/21 campaign. "I keep talking about him as a character, and he’s a driver. I think it’s very evident to see on the pitch," Lampard explained of that decision.
However, Jorginho lost his place in the side soon after, with Lampard favouring the likes of N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount and Kai Havertz in midfield. Something needed to change for Jorginho at Chelsea. Rather inevitably, that was the head coach.
The Blues' decision to replace Lampard with Thomas Tuchel 12 months ago resulted in Jorginho enjoying the best year of his career.
He was instrumental in Chelsea's Champions triumph, producing standout performances against Porto and Real Madrid in the quarter and semi-finals, respectively.
He then helped Italy win the European Championship in the summer, defeating hosts England at a raucous Wembley in the final.
Jorginho deservedly received the 2021 UEFA Player of the Year award as a result of his success. He would also finish third in the Ballon d'Or voting.
Nobody doubts the quality of Jorginho any more. Nor his character. "He is a top guy," Tuchel told Chelsea's website earlier this season. "He is funny, he has a big smile on his face every single day, you can have chats with him and laugh every single day.
"He is up for a laugh. He is in love with his game, and this is the feeling he transports from the first minute. He never stops transmitting this energy.
“Jorgi is a very strategic player. He knows what to do in possession, he can imagine what is going to happen one or two passes ahead and he knows where to help out in short distances and longer distances.
“He knows when to switch the play and not to switch the play. He has a good sense of rhythm. He organises the environment around him and that allows him to show his true abilities in controlling the rhythm of a game.
“As well as this, he is relentless in defence. He wants to help everywhere on the pitch. He has a huge ability to run a lot for the team. Maybe he lacks the high speeds, but he compensates with a lot of work-rate and anticipation in his defensive work."
Jorginho has remained a key figure for Chelsea this season. The Italian international has played the second-most minutes of any outfield player (2,208) and pushed through the pain barrier in December to ensure a midfield already missing Kovacic and Kante wasn't completely threadbare.
During his time at Stamford Bridge, Jorginho has won three trophies (the Champions League, Europa League and UEFA Super Cup). He will have the opportunity to add another two – the Club World Cup and Carabao Cup – to his collection next month, while also attempting to help the Blues retain their crown as European champions and lift the FA Cup.
What comes beyond that is uncertain, however. Jorginho is out of contract in the summer of 2023 and as of last month, talks to extend that deal, according to his agent, have not begun. "He’s still under contract until June 2023 - maybe we’ll open talks in the next months," Joao Santos told TuttoMercatoWeb.
Jorginho celebrated his 30th birthday in December; the next contract he signs is likely to be the final lucrative one of his career as a result. So consideration is required by the midfielder and Chelsea, who are interested in West Ham United's Declan Rice and Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, previous suitors Juventus are interested in Jorginho and could make an offer to Chelsea in the summer – for a player who Santos has repeatedly stated dreams of a return to Italy, that could prove an attractive option.
Given Jorginho's age and the length of his contract, the Blues could not expect to receive the £60m they paid Napoli four years ago. That is simply unrealistic.
However, given Jorginho's current form and standing in the European game, Chelsea could recoup a good fee for the man nicknamed J5 by supporters and begin a new era under Tuchel.
It's very rare a transfer suits all parties – often one club feels hard done by or the player feels forced out – yet if Jorginho is keen to return to Serie A, it feels as though both Juventus and Chelsea could come to a fair agreement.
And then perhaps Jorginho would finally arrive at a club without feeling he had a point to prove.
