Chelsea's 2022-23 signings RANKED: Mykhailo Mudryk already a MAJOR concern but Enzo Fernandez looks the real deal

The most expensive player in the history of British football, Chelsea paid £107 million to lure World Cup winner Fernandez away from Benfica on January deadline day, and he slotted straight into Potter's engine room.

It was always going to be difficult for a deep-lying midfielder to justify such a hefty price tag, but Fernandez has given it his best shot, standing out with his superb passing range and tenacity out of possession.

The 22-year-old is a classy operator and will surely prove to be well worth the investment in the long-term, not least because he seems to be ideally suited to English football.

STAR RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fofana has been restricted to just 13 appearances for Chelsea to date, having missed the majority of his first season in west London due to a serious knee injury.

Still, the 22-year-old has impressed since his return to action in March, and produced a colossal performance at the back during the Blues' 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Tuesday.

Lampard will surely give Fofana a key role in his plans as Chelsea seek to salvage a top-half finish and go all the way in the Champions League.

STAR RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

Alongside Fernandez, Atletico loanee Felix has undoubtedly shone brightest out of Chelsea's crop of January signings.

He made a huge impression on his debut against Fulham before getting himself sent off, but has learned from that mistake since returning from suspension to lead the Blues' attack.

Felix has only found the net twice so far for Chelsea, but his quality is undeniable. The 23-year-old is capable of making the difference in the final third with his excellent pass selection and dribbling ability, and defenders are often left on their heels when he explodes into action.

Chelsea must do everything they can to buy the Portugal international outright in the summer.

STAR RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

Badiashile has made a solid, if rather unspectacular start to his Chelsea career, featuring in eight Premier League games to date.

The Frenchman is strong and quick, with good instincts when it comes to breaking up play and stepping out from the back, but he wasn't able to nail down a spot in Potter's line up.

Lampard's return could change things for Badiashile, who has all the necessary attributes to become a top defender in the future.

STAR RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

Casadei went straight into Chelsea's U21 squad after his summer move from Inter, and racked up four goals and an assist in his first nine Premier League 2 outings.

The Blues took the decision to loan the 20-year-old to Reading in the winter window, which has only served to aid his development.

Casadei won the Championship club's Player of the Month award in March, and if he continues on his current trajectory he will fancy his chances of forcing his way into the senior squad at Chelsea next term.

STAR RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

Koulibaly finally got his move to the Premier League after years of speculation last year, with Chelsea snapping him up from Napoli on a four-year contract.

The 31-year-old brings plenty of experience to the table, but has not been able to fill the boots of fan favourite Antonio Rudiger, who moved to Real Madrid in June.

Koulibaly has cut a slow and ponderous figure in the heart of the Chelsea defence, with basic errors creeping into his game that have cost the team dearly in a number of crucial matches, most notably in their recent 2-2 draw against Everton.

STAR RATING: ⭐⭐

Chelsea's capture of Sterling was initially seen as a huge coup. The England international picked up four Premier League winners' medals in an all-star Manchester City team, and hit 17 goals across all competitions in his final season at the club.

However, Pep Guardiola wouldn't have sold Sterling to a direct rival if he didn't think he was past his best.

Chelsea are nowhere near City's level right now, but the 28-year-old has been a shadow of the player that was a menace for defences across the country during his time at Etihad Stadium.

Sterling is already being linked with a transfer away from the Bridge, with competition for places set to increase once again in the summer.

STAR RATING: ⭐⭐

Chelsea boosted their pool of young English talent with the addition of Madueke from PSV in January, tying him to a seven-and-a-half-year contract with the option of an extra year.

The 21-year-old is another player that has been added to the squad as part of the club's longer-term vision, but he is unlikely to be completely happy with how his first few months at the Bridge have gone.

Madueke has only started two games for Chelsea to date and like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, was not given a place in their Champions League squad.

However, he gave a timely reminder of his talents in a cameo for England's U21s during the international break, registering a goal and two assists in a 4-0 win against France, and his outlook at Chelsea could improve under Lampard given his penchant for promoting young talent.

STAR RATING: ⭐⭐

Cucurella joined Chelsea after a stellar 2021-22 campaign at Brighton, but has found the step up to a bigger club difficult, despite being reunited with former Seagulls boss Potter.

The Spaniard retained a regular spot in Potter's line up despite a string of underwhelming displays, and had arguably his worst game in a Chelsea shirt yet when Aston Villa stormed to a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on April 1.

Now that Potter is gone, he will have to up his game considerably to prove he deserves to remain in the starting XI.

STAR RATING: ⭐⭐

Zakaria had to wait until November to make his first appearance for Chelsea, and has struggled to nail down a place in the starting XI amid intense competition for places in midfield.

The Switzerland international - who is still contracted to Juventus until 2026 - has also been hampered by niggling injuries, and it has been reported that the Blues will not be taking up their option to sign him permanently for £26 million.

STAR RATING: ⭐⭐

Chukwuemeka's switch to Chelsea was one of the more surprising deals of the 2022 summer window, with the teenager deciding to cut ties with Aston Villa after six years at the club.

Boehly described Chukwuemeka as "one of the most exciting young players in Europe" at his unveiling, but the England youth international has since had to make do with a bit-part role in the Blues squad.

The midfielder has looked lively when called upon - and at 19 years old still has plenty of time to unlock his full potential - but only one of his 11 appearances for Chelsea to date has come as a starter, meaning his patience could be tested in the coming months.

STAR RATING: ⭐⭐

Chelsea were alerted to Fofana's talents after his exceptional final year at Molde, where he bagged 15 goals in 24 Eliteserien matches.

The 20-year-old has not yet been given the chance to shine in the Blues' first team, with just three appearances on his record so far, but he is very much seen as a future prospect and will be afforded patience.

STAR RATING: ⭐⭐

USMNT goalkeeper Slonina finally linked up with his new team-mates at Chelsea in January, having seen out the remainder of the 2022 MLS season on loan with the Chicago Fire before heading to England.

The 18-year-old is still waiting for his senior debut, but has seen some minutes in the Blues' U21 set-up and will hope to be competing with Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga for a role in Lampard's squad before long.

STAR RATING: ⭐⭐

In stark contrast to Fernandez, Mudryk's first three months at Chelsea have been a huge disappointment.

The Blues won the race for the highly-rated Ukrainian ahead of Arsenal, but aside from an encouraging debut off the bench against Liverpool at Anfield in February, he has looked like a fish out of water.

Mudryk is yet to open his scoring account for Chelsea, despite being presented with a hatful of chances, and doesn't appear to be physically ready for the demands of Premier League football.

The former Shakhtar Donetsk winger's poor performances will already be a cause for concern for club officials ahead of a summer that is likely to bring more major changes on and off the pitch.

STAR RATING: ⭐

Aubameyang is currently enduring the worst season of his whole career.

The Gabon striker joined Chelsea from Barcelona in a deal that saw Marcos Alonso move in the opposite direction to Camp Nou, linking up with his former Borussia Dortmund boss Tuchel in the process.

Tuchel was sacked just days later, and Aubameyang struggled to win favour under Potter, who left the ex-Arsenal striker out of Chelsea's squad for the Champions League knockout rounds.

Aubameyang is now said to be pushing for a summer exit, with a return to Barca mooted after he travelled to Spain to watch their recent Clasico clash with Real Madrid - much to the anger of Chelsea officials.

STAR RATING: ⭐