Mason Mount has set the level of expected performance at Chelsea since the beginning of the 2019/20 season. His consistency, his output, his mentality and his energy have made him an undroppable presence during some rocky periods.
The fact he was voted as the club's player of the season for the second year running proved as much at the end of an exhausting 63-game slog.
He played the pass that helped win Chelsea the European Cup, he became the youngest player in the club's history to score in four consecutive games and he ended the 2021/22 season as the Blues top league scorer.
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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.
Ironically, only Mount sits above Raphinha in this category with 163 and 111, whilst the Leeds winger with 109 and 119. The other player in the three mentioned is Leicester City midfielder James Maddison.
The parallel chase to sign Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling can hopefully add another character who can take more responsibility on the pitch and lessen the burden on Mount to consistently make things happen.
The fitness of Reece James and Ben Chilwell will be of equal importance to Tuchel next season, with both only starting four games together in the Premier League last season.
Mount has shown little sign of slowing down, or fear over his ability to at times carry this Chelsea team. But given the club's resources and wider ambitions, there is a need for more leadership in the final third.
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