There are a lot of takeaways from the season and one of them is that the team is too young and needs some experience to take it to the next level. Although Mauricio Pochettino is regarded as a coach who can take young players to a different level, he has not been able to do a lot with this Chelsea team.
However, there are some exceptions as some players have showcased huge potential and taken the leap to help the club get some good results. At the end of the season, one player is rewarded with the Best Player award and these are the three players that are the front runners to receive the honour.
Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer has rightfully earned a lot of praise from experts around the world. His on-ball technique and composure to take penalties have helped Chelsea in many games this season. His move from Manchester City during the transfer window was considered to be a strange decision as Chelsea had players with similar playing styles as him.
However, the 21-year-old has turned out to be a fan favorite in less than a year at Chelsea and is on course to be the best young talent in the Premier League. Gareth Southgate recently handed Cole Palmer a second call-up to the England national team. This is expected to help him earn a spot in the 2024 Euros side, which will be another great achievement for the Manchester born player.
Having been at the City academy from a young age, the decision to leave the club was not easy as mentioned by Palmer. However, he was convinced about his abilities and decided to leave the club for Chelsea where he is now showcasing some exemplary performances. The youngster is on track to finish the season as the highest goal-scorer and assist provider, this certainly will prove to be a great incentive for him in the race to win the club's Player of the Season award.
Conor Gallagher
Connor Gallagher has transformed into a completely different player under Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino. It was clear from the start that the Argentinian is a fan of the young English midfielder due to his work ethic, but Gallagher's performances warranted praise from the Chelsea fans as well.
The Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo pairing was expected to take the Chelsea midfield to great heights. But on many occasions, Connor Gallagher outplayed the two South Americans and helped Chelsea get positive results. His abilities to press and throw tackles have helped the Blues add some solidity, but they will need more of this from others if they are to compete for trophies.
It took Connor Gallagher over 5 months to open the scoring this season for Chelsea. Despite the lack of goals, his ability to break plays and press is what makes him one of the fan favourites aside from the fact that he is an academy graduate. His future at the club seems to be in doubt as Chelsea might consider selling him in the summer to comply with FFP rules. However, it is going to be difficult to let him go as he has been one of the club's best players this season.
Malo Gusto
Malo Gusto has been a revelation at CFC since joining them in the summer from Lyon. He was expected to play second fiddle to Reece James, but an injury to the English defender has meant that Gusto has had to step up and take the starting right-back spot. The bar set by James is high, but it is safe to say that Gusto has met those standards and cemented his spot in Poch's back four.
The French right-back has grabbed seven assists already and could have had even more if not for Chelsea's poor finishing this campaign. His on-ball ability is second to no defender in the Premier League, but Gusto is not afraid of jumping into a tackle as well. He has the pace which helps him against some of the best wingers in the league.
One of the biggest examples of this is his performance againt Newcastle. The 20-year-old had a great game defensively as he put the locks on Anthony Gordon each time he tried get past him and forced the Newcastle winger to switch sides.
Chelsea have not looked great this season, but Malo Gusto has and he certainly deserves all the praise showered upon him. The likes of Cole Palmer and Connor Gallagher certainly are front runners for the Player of the Season award, but Gusto is definitely in the debate and if he puts in some great shifts to end the season, he could change a few minds and win the award.