The Speculation continues to grow over a potential return to the Premier League for Philippe Coutinho, with the Brazilian reportedly offered to Chelsea among other clubs.
The Stamford Bridge side could perhaps be questioned over whether they need to sign the Barcelona man, currently still on loan at Bayern Munich, but if the chance to sign a player of his reputation and potential impact comes up, it could be a difficult opportunity for Frank Lampard to pass on.
Coutinho would, after all, be a first truly massive-money, elite-tier signing for Lampard as a manager, and something for the boss to point to when others question if he can lure top talent and whether Chelsea are still a destination club.
But Coutinho’s arrival and price tag would essentially mean he’s as near to a guaranteed starter as is possible, and there would be knock-on effects throughout the squad. So which players would benefit most if he does sign on at the Bridge?
The final player who might benefit most, albeit indirectly, is Hakim Ziyech.
An already confirmed summer arrival from Ajax, much expectation would be on the Moroccan who, like Coutinho, is 27 years old and arguably needs to hit the ground running and prove he can immediately impact having taken the step up.
If he takes some time to adapt to new surroundings, team-mates and the league, as a major attacking signing there would be quick questions asked of him – but Coutinho, a more expensive and bigger name transfer, would relieve some of that immediate expectancy. Of course, there’s also the chance they gel superbly as creative, visionary, offensive talents, and help each other raise their games on the pitch.
That’s the absolute best scenario for Chelsea, and combined with supporting Tammy Abraham’s improvement and development, that’s precisely what Lampard and Co. will hope for if they press ahead with plans to sign Coutinho.