Could Dujon Sterling be Chelsea’s next Victor Moses?

This period marks the first time Chelsea will be heading into a full summer and preseason campaign with the same manager as the previous season since Antonio Conte’s second year with the club. The Maurizio Sarri saga took half of the summer to complete, Frank Lampard joined in early July and during his second year, the preseason festivities were cut short due to COVID-19’s impact on the schedule. This time allows Thomas Tuchel to evaluate all of his options, with the returning loanees and youngsters getting a special look due to the first team being away at the European Championships.

Every year in preseason there is a period of time where every player at the club has the opportunity to catapult himself into the picture. Perhaps the best example of this is Victor Moses during Conte’s debut season, which is why he is now the standard for this type of move within the Blues’ ranks. To clarify, this is a player who is on the outside looking in (in general, not for young players who still need to develop) who forces his way into the squad by impressing in preseason. Moses is the latest player to make this type of move, which is fitting because his potential successor plays an identical role.

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Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has reportedly taken a liking to Dujon Sterling.

Dujon Sterling has been the standout player during Chelsea’s preseason training thus far, according to numerous reports. He’s had more time with Tuchel than most other youngsters, seeing as he’s been training with the first team for a few months now while he recovered with the U23s. Sterling is now negotiating a contract extension with the Blues as his current deal is set to expire at the end of the upcoming campaign. The club will also look to buck the recent trend of talented prospects departing for greener pastures. Luckily, the club wants Sterling and Sterling wants to remain in SW6.

Back at full fitness, the 21-year-old will try to make the first team squad for the first time since September 2017 when he was given his debut. Sterling spent two years on loan (2018/19 at Coventry City and 2019/20 at Wigan Athletic) following his senior debut against Nottingham Forest in the League Cup. A change of manager, a hamstring injury and an unknown illness that sidelined him for a long period of time have seen the hype around him dwindle a bit, but now it seems to be building back up.

Conte was the first manager to take a chance on Sterling, who he held in high regard. It seems only right that the next Chelsea boss to try his hand at the 3-4-3 gives Sterling his long-awaited opportunity. After missing out on Achraf Hakimi, nothing new on the Adama Traore front and Tino Livramento set to depart, it seems as if the right wingback spot could be Sterling’s for the taking. He presents a low-risk, high-reward option that also allows Marina Granovskaia to use those funds elsewhere.

Tuchel’s tactical switch, where he moved Reece James to right centerback, indicated he wanted more attacking options on the outside of defense. Sterling gives the German gaffer that versatility in the same way Moses did for Conte. The wingback possesses blistering pace that neither Cesar Azpilicueta or James can claim. He is also incredibly strong and has a great eye for goal, giving Tuchel another creative option across the pitch.

Much like Moses though, Sterling faces an uphill battle of impressing a manager that didn’t bring him to the club. The long-time Chelsea player will be fighting for a place in a highly competitive environment over the next few weeks. He’ll need to continue to shine against Bournemouth, Arsenal and Spurs before the season begins if he wants a shot at making the cut. The Champions of Europe have looked into some of the best wingbacks on the continent, but the answer to their dilemma could have been right under their nose the entire time.

Could Sterling be the next Moses at Stamford Bridge? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!