Andre Schurrle: Too Much Competition For The German?

After sealing his move to Stamford Bridge last month, writer Rayyan Dabbous looks at how Andre Schurrle could struggle to force his way into Chelsea’s starting eleven on a regular basis.

During the summer of 2011, Chelsea spotted a talented young footballer in the Bundesliga. He had finished a great season with Mainz: helping them to qualify for Europe with his 15 league goals. After chasing the forward’s signature for almost two years, Chelsea were finally able to acquire the German’s services last month. Andre Schurrle is now a Chelsea player, with the transfer fee reported to be in the region of £18 million.

Andre Schurrle has been playing football at his best lately. His speed and work-rate were vital to Bayer Leverkusen’s fast-paced game. Schurrle is the kind of player who can always find his way in the opponent’s box. He is a versatile offensive player, who is able to play anywhere in the attack.

Schurrle seems like an exciting prospect for the Blues. However, when his signing was announced, many people have called Schurrle’s abilities into question. Possible success at Stamford Bridge for the German has been brought into doubt due to the intense competition for places.

Chelsea have a lot of great attacking players. The likes of Eden Hazard and Juan Mata have proved to be indispensable, and both offensive players are undisputed starters in Chelsea’s squad. Aside from these two, Chelsea have Oscar, Victor Moses and Ramires who are all important members in Chelsea’s attack. Therefore, a regular place for Andre Schurrle in Chelsea’s starting XI appears unlikely. Thus, the 21 year old might be restricted to limited appearances next season. This may lead to a regression in form, since a footballer at that particular age needs sufficient playing time.

As a result, Andre Schurrle may regret rushing into this move. Unlike others, he decided to move away from Germany at a very young age. Usually, Germans tend to leave their homeland in the twilight of their careers. We’ve seen Michael Ballack who joined Chelsea at the age of 29, or Miroslav Klose who left Bayern Munich for Lazio at the age of 33. Rarely do we see such a young German prospect take the plunge and move abroad so young.

Who knows what the future holds for Andre Schurrle. He may struggle to break into the starting eleven, his form could drop and he may find himself shipped out on loan next summer: as with compatriot Marko Marin who joined Sevilla on a temporary deal this summer after struggling to make an impact last season.

Or, he may adapt to life in England well and find some early form to force his way into Jose Mourinho’s team. He certainly has the ability to do it, but will he get the opportunity? We’ll have to wait and see…

Do you think Schurrle will be a success at Chelsea? How do you see him fitting in? Get involved in the comments section.