Jose Mourinho kick-started his summer spending spree earlier today with the signing of Andre Schurrle from German outfit Bayer Leverkusen. The 22-year-old arrives at Stamford Bridge for a fee reportedly in the region of £18m and is believed to have been a long-term target of the west London outfit:
Negotiations had been at an advanced stage prior to Mourinho’s reinstallation and, after the Portuguese manager green lit the deal, Chelsea confirmed they had reached an agreement for Schurrle’s transfer earlier this month. Having passed a medical and signed on the dotted line, Schurrle admitted he’s delighted to be given the chance to play under The Special One:
“I’m really looking forward to working with him. I got to know him at Michael Ballack’s testimonial a few weeks ago where we talked a little bit. He gave me advice on where to live and also explained what he expects from me. He’s a very good person with a big personality; he’s a great manager so it’s an absolute honour for me to now be one of his players.”
The History
Schurrle joined Bundesliga side Mainz O5 as a youngster and was fielded in their youth set-up for three years before making his first-team debut at the age of 18 in August 2009. His impact was immediate and, having notched five goals and a pair of assist in 33 appearances, he caught the eye of Leverkusen – in September 2010, Schurrle agreed to join the club for the start of the following campaign but not before racking up 15 goals and four assists in 33 matches, breaking the club’s previous record for goals scored in a single Bundesliga season.
His first term at Leverkusen proved more of a settling-in period for Schurrle as he produced seven goals and four assists over 31 league fixtures but last season he stepped up in performance. Fielded as an inverted winger on the left of a front three, he delivered 11 goals and seven assists from 34 matches, helping his side to third spot in the Bundesliga behind Champions League finalists Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Schurrle has represented his country on 10 occasions at youth level, scoring seven times, and has also produced seven goals from 24 appearances for the senior side.
The Prospects
From a Fantasy perspective, the German’s arrival merely compounds the number of midfield options already on offer at the Bridge. Juan Mata and Eden Hazard finished in the top five Fantasy Premier League (FPL) midfield standings with 212 points and 190 points respectively, Oscar ended the season particularly strong after netting in three of his last five starts, while Frank Lampard was the club’s top scorer after finding the net on 15 occasions.
If Mourinho maintains the 4-2-3-1 formation he utilised in Madrid, Schurrle will add to the competition for the three spaces in the attacking midfield three – with Kevin De Bruyne having already been given assurances he will be part of next term’s squad and the likes of Victor Moses also offering options, there’s no shortage of possibilities to potentially frustrate Fantasy managers. With Mata and Hazard apparently nailed on, the new boy may well battle it out with Oscar for the remaining slot, though the two have contrasting styles – while the Brazilian’s keen eye for a pass means he could also be fielded as a deep-lying playmaker, Schurrle is more pacy and direct and, standing at six foot, even offers an alternative up top; a position he’s been utilised in for the German national side on occasion.
Schurrle can be a frustrating player at times, though. Cutting inside onto his favoured right foot, his penchant for speculative long range efforts has led to accusations of selfishness, with more of his shots finding the stands than the back of the net – while his speed and work-rate will be advantageous within Mourinho’s system, the new boy may need to subscribe to the team ethic in order to thrive. Given that Mata is expected to keep the central, playmaking role – similar to Mesut Ozil at Real – Hazard’s displays on the left suggest Schurrle may have to move to the opposite flank in order to prosper; a role the German is unaccustomed to, though he admitted earlier today:
“In attack I can play in every position, but I think wide on the left is my best position because I can cut inside and score goals with my right foot, which I hope to be able to do here, but I am confident playing anywhere offensively.”
Bearing in mind that he featured up front for Bayer, Schurrle’s classification across the Fantasy games remains up for debate, though the fact that Eden Hazard was also utilised on the front left of a 4-3-3 in his final season at Lille yet was listed as a midfielder perhaps hints at what’s to come. Certainly, the performances of Mata and Hazard in 2012/13 are set to elevate the duo’s prices; a rise to somewhere in the region of 10.5 to 11.0 in the FPL wouldn’t surprise, considering only two forwards – Robin Van Persie and Luis Suarez – managed to outscore the pair last time round. The new boy’s cost will be relatively cheaper, then, with 8.5 to 9.5 perhaps on the cards, though a possible classification as a striker, however unlikely, would almost certainly rule him out of consideration.
In a situation similar to last season, Chelsea’s European Super Cup duties against Bayern Munich in late August may afford us a double Gameweek 1 to get the season underway. Though the Premier League has yet to confirm this, it would see Mourinho’s men welcome Hull and Villa to the Bridge and bring huge interest their way, with major investment looking essential to getting our seasons off to a flier. Pre-season should afford us time to assess Mourinho’s intentions, though for all his undoubted talents, Schurrle will need to convince early on to oust the likes of Mata, Hazard and even Lampard from the majority of initial Fantasy line-ups if, as expected, the double Gameweek drops on to the schedule.
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