Top five Chelsea players to watch in 2013-14

Juan Mata

The new Premier League season is about to kick off in less than 48 hours. A promising eight months of league football stands in front of us.

The arrival of José Mourinho and new signings like Marco van Ginkel have increased the expectations. Chelsea have been enormously successful in the last decade, but the club has won only two league titles in the last eight years.There is real belief now that this record would change starting with this season. As Chelsea prepare to take on the Premier League with a star-studded squad, who will be the best players at the end of the season?

5. Kevin De BruyneIn the summer, there were transfer rumours suggesting that Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne could be made as a makeweight in the deal to bring Andre Schurrle to the club. De Bruyne had just spent the season on loan at Werder Bremen, where he was excellent.A last ditch attempt by Mourinho helped Chelsea keep De Bruyne. So far, it has proven to be a good decision because he has been one of the bright aspects of the team in the pre-season 2013. His eye for goal, excellent vision, and pace are something to watch out for in the next eight months.

4. Juan MataChelsea’s best player in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 season was subjected to transfer rumours much to the surprise of Chelsea fans. Thankfully, he appears to be going nowhere and there is even a possibility of signing a new contract as well. Our £24 million signing has scored an incredible 39 goals and assisted 59 in the last two years. Can he improve on this remarkable statistic?Mata achieved these numbers by playing behind the striker. Mourinho has hinted that he may be play in a different position this season. Will it hinder his impact on the team?

3. Fernando TorresChelsea’s record £50 million signing or his problems need no introduction. He has struggled for goals since joining Chelsea. There are signs of him returning back to former glory days. He scored 23 goals in all competitions last season, while he has also been looking sharp in pre-season. If Chelsea are to win the league, then Torres needs to come in with a significant contribution. He needs to target at least 20 goals, which is certainly feasible for a player of his quality.He is a dark horse for the Premier League Golden Boot 2013-14 award.

Eden Hazard

2. Romelu LukakuAn outstanding 17 goals in the league last season makes Lukaku a surprise package this season. Nobody would have expected his impact at West Brom last season, but can he repeat it? Undoubtedly, a striker playing for Chelsea would get many more chances during a match, but it would also bring a lot of pressure as well. Can the young 20-year-old shoulders handle pressure? He has all the tools required to be successful.Can Mourinho make him into a great player just as he did with the raw potential of Didier Drogba?

1. Eden HazardUndoubtedly, he is the man to watch – not only for Chelsea, but also for the entire Premier League – in the new season. He is a real magician, who can change the game. There are very few players like him in the world. Hazard showed why he is very important to Chelsea in the final pre-season match against Roma. Chelsea went into halftime devoid of ideas, but the introduction of Hazard gave a new dimension to the match.

It was not surprising to see that he played a significant role in both goals that led to the 2-1 victory. His magical feat could be the difference between the late goals and slender victories.

Mourinho likes a counter-attacking style of football, and Hazard’s pace and skill could be the perfect weapon for it.

Already, there are comparisons with Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but there is still a long way to go. He is not without his faults, as he occasionally tends to concentrate more on dribbling rather than providing an end product. Once Mourinho manages to sort him out in such areas, we could have a superstar on our hands.