Denis Zakaria is very much the “mystery box” of this summer’s Chelsea transfer window.
With most of the other players we signed, we knew exactly what we were getting. They had played in the Premier League or had many years in the Champions League for us to get to know them.
Zakaria on the other hand made just 15 appearances for Juventus in 6 months, before which he had a bad injury, before which he was playing for Borussia Monchengladbach.
So it feels like a move that could be forgotten if he doesn’t play much and heads back to Turin at the end of his loan. But Liam Twomey’s Athletic piece on the transfer that brought him to Chelsea in the summer does reveal two interesting facets of the deal.
Firstly that Thomas Tuchel had “no input” on the deal, in contrast to the other moves this summer.
Secondly, there is a £30m purchase clause, which Twomey claims could see the Swiss international considered a “bargain” if he lives up to his potential.
