Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca will spend plenty of time during the international break working with Jadon Sancho and deciding how best to deploy his new signing.
Sancho joined initially on loan on transfer deadline day last week, and Chelsea have an obligation to buy him from Manchester United next summer.
A successful loan spell back at Borussia Dortmund during the second half of last season aside, his stint at Old Trafford was not a happy one. Across three seasons, the 24-year-old scored 12 goals and registered just six assists in 81 total appearances.
Here, Standard Sport assesses three ways in which Chelsea could use Sancho as they try to rediscover in him the quality he showed during his emerging years as a Dortmund star.
Option one - right wing
4-2-3-1: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Sancho, Palmer, Neto; Jackson
In the standard 4-2-3-1 system Chelsea have been using under Maresca, the most obvious place for Sancho would be on the right of the attack.
It is here that he did much of his damage for Dortmund, as well as where he played when a member of United’s starting lineup early on in his Red Devils career.
Picturing a chemistry developing between Sancho and Cole Palmer in the No10 role is not too difficult, and it is easy to imagine the winger sliding a few passes in behind defences for striker Nicolas Jackson to run on to.
Option two - left wing
4-2-3-1: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson
Another conceivable fit would be for Maresca to slot Sancho in on the left of the attack, with Pedro Neto dropping to the bench and newly-selected England winger Noni Madueke retaining his place on the right flank.
Sancho has shown that he is just as adept on both wings, and Dortmund fans will remember him at his devastating best when cutting in from the left and seeking to shoot with his favoured right foot.
Chelsea fans will hope to see plenty of that during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Option three - No10
4-2-3-1: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer, Sancho, Neto; Jackson
This feels like the least likely way that Maresca will set his team up, but Sancho has made a number of appearances in his career as a No10.
Palmer, meanwhile, was used as a substitute out on England’s right flank during Euro 2024 and came through at Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in that position, so it’s not unfamiliar territory. Sancho’s close control, eye for an assist and ability off both feet make him an extremely creative player.
Indeed, 50 goals and 64 assists in 137 games for Dortmund explained why United signed him for £73million in July 2021. As a No10, he could be used to knit Chelsea’s attacks together, feeding the ball out wide as well as through the middle for Jackson to run on to. His signing certainly offers Maresca and Chelsea a number of options.
