Chelsea fans have patiently waited for Romeo Lavia to shine in their midfield since his arrival from Southampton in August 2023.
After his £58million deal was completed, the Belgian made just one appearance in his debut season due to ankle and hamstring injuries.
Fitness issues have remained throughout the 2024/25 campaign too, but his availability for the Blues has significantly increased.
Lavia has featured another 15 times for Chelsea, and boasts a winning record of 62.5 per cent from all 16 of his matches for the club.
Minutes are irregular but when given the nod, the 21-year-old is one player who certainly knows how to make the most of his chances.
Recent performances in victories against Everton and Liverpool have shown why Chelsea were more than happy to pay his transfer fee.
Lavia brought added stability and calmness into their midfield, such as vital interceptions and tackles that changed the flow in their favour.
When substituted against Liverpool, Chelsea fans at Stamford Bridge applauded him after he completed all 23 attempted passes.
Supporters in the away end for the Reds, who were also interested in signing him, weren’t as praiseful as they chanted ‘You could’ve signed for the champions!’ when he walked past.
Lavia responded with a cheeky grin after a display that will likely keep him in the starting XI for the rest of the Premier League season.
He was partnered by Enzo Fernandez, whilst Moises Caicedo played at right-back and occasionally drifted into the midfield areas.
Caicedo is familiar with the role, but it’s a repeated selection by Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca that means they miss a key player – Reece James.
The club captain has been prominent on the right side of the Blues’ defence since he made his debut in September 2019.
James excelled in their Champions League title win two years later before collecting UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup titles.
Whilst fellow Cobham academy graduates such as Mason Mount and Lewis Hall have left, the 25-year-old has stayed put in west London.
But similarly to Lavia, James has faced his own injury struggles, which includes a hamstring problem that required surgery last year.
He has only been a regular since January following other fitness woes earlier in the season, with consistent minutes no longer a guarantee.
For example, whilst Lavia started both games against Everton and Liverpool, James was named on the bench.
Maresca ensured he wasn’t an unused substitute in each fixture, and has recently stressed the need to keep a close eye on his fitness.
“I still think that we need to manage Reece,” he said last month. “You know his history better than me. You know that he is a player you need to be careful with in this moment.”
The Italian added: “We want him fit until the end [of the season]. The idea is to try to manage him and then we’ll see in the future if we can go every day.
“But in this moment, because we need him until the end, we will try to manage him. Reece in another team is very young. In our team, probably he is a bit old, but he is still very young.”
Having missed over 100 matches through injury across six seasons at Chelsea, such strict management is a sensible option for the club.
But if there comes a time when both Lavia and James are consistently available for selection, what route does Maresca take?
Lavia playing in midfield with Fernandez has so far worked well, but James is left out of the XI when Caicedo is selected at right-back.
Alternatively, Caicedo features as a midfielder alongside Fernandez and James plays in the full-back role as Lavia is named on the bench.
It’s a potential problem that could arise at Chelsea for Maresca, but one that also highlights the abundance of quality within the squad.
Lavia has already shown huge promise in his 16 appearances and is being rewarded with starts in a competitive Blues squad.
James is arguably one of their most talented players on his day and having been at Chelsea since age six, he’s a proud club captain.
Maresca has the final say and no matter what option he goes for, the Blues will miss the omitted star’s talent when they don’t play.
Maresca is the man who must make the selections[/caption]
Chelsea will soon discover their Premier League top five, Europa Conference League and Club World Cup fate before eyeing the next season.
Any moment of rest during their hectic schedule will surely be welcomed by Maresca as he juggles with two top Blues talents.
