Andre Schurrle: Where Does He Rank Among Chelsea's Current Midfielders?

It's one of the more curious signings Chelsea have made in recent times, but equally, it could be something of a masterstroke from Jose Mourinho and Technical Director Michael Emenalo.

Despite all the attacking talent among their ranks, Russian owner Roman Abramovich agreed to sanction a deal which has seen Andre Schurrle swap a comfortable life at Bayer Leverkusen for the high-octane pressures of living in London.

The 22-year-old will no doubt be ecstatic with the pace at which his career is moving, having only moved to the BayArena two years ago from Bundesliga outfit Mainz.

Schurrle knows the pressure will be on to deliver in 2013-14 after costing the West London club around £18 million. The fact that he is Mourinho's first signing since his return to Stamford Bridge places even more pressure on his capable shoulders.

A versatile attacker, Schurrle can play either as a creative wide player or a central striker, although under the Portuguese tactician, his role is likely to be out on the right-hand side.

However, should he be required to, the highly-rated forward is equally adept to operate from the left, with his ability to drift inside being one of his biggest strengths. 

As if that isn't enough, the Ludwigshafen native adds a special attribute to the club which already has many of his kind: the ability to score spectacular goals.

In that department, he joins the likes of Frank Lampard, Juan Mata and David Luiz, all of whom are renowned for their trademark long-range strikes.

But the timing of his signing is questionable, especially when you consider the amount of competition for a place in the Chelsea team. After all, Schurrle cost the club a sizable fee, and it would be a surprise to many if he agreed to spend most of his time on the bench.

It therefore spells out the uncertainty surrounding Kevin De Bruyne and Victor Moses' futures, and whether they could leave for pastures new.

The Belgian has been linked with a move to Borussia Dortmund, according to ESPN, and despite these reports, it would be a shock as he is yet to feature for Chelsea. Moses only joined the club 11 months ago but after a decent start, the Nigerian struggled to deliver in the latter part of the season. 

What is certain is the strength that Chelsea's midfield contains, and for those in doubt, there are always statistics. The combined cost in transfer fees would be enough to astound even the richest men in football, which are listed below:

John Obi Mikel - £16m

Frank Lampard - £11m

Eden Hazard - £32m

Oscar - £25m

Oriol Romeu - £4.3m

Victor Moses - £9m

Andre Schurrle - £18m

Ramires - £18m

Juan Mata - £26m

Michael Essien - £24m

Total Amount: £183.3 million 

Sure, transfer fees alone aren't enough to distinguish between whether a player is of the highest quality or is merely in a period of improved form.

But it's fair to say that Chelsea's attacking trio of Mata, Hazard and Oscar—nicknamed "Mazacar" by Blues fans—have proved to be more than worth of the outlay.

The quality of the three is evident from observation of their link-up, and they were perhaps the only shining light in an otherwise poor season for the Europa League winners.

But Andre Schurrle can perhaps add to the quality and bring something extra, as opposed to breaking up what is one of the best combinations in recent times in the Premier League. His pace and direct play can be a useful weapon for Chelsea to use from the bench if they need to up the tempo.

Certainly, in terms of goalscoring, the German winger can lay the claim that he deserves to be playing week in, week out, scoring 14 goals in 43 appearances for Leverkusen as they claimed the third spot in the Bundesliga.

That is around the same total, on average, as Mata and Hazard last season, while Oscar is slightly behind in statistical terms. Judging on ability and form, Mata would head the pack of course, because of his creative influence.

Schurrle, on the other hand, will know that competition is rife at his new club, and while he will have as many as four competitors for a place in the Chelsea team, this kind of competition may bring the best out of him.

For Chelsea, it's one German international in, another out, after injury-plagued winger Marko Marin joined Sevilla on a season-long loan, just a year after his move from Werder Bremen. As a result, the warning signs are there to suggest it could be a bumpy ride for Schurrle.

While his compatriot failed to make the desired impact, there are high hopes within the club that the striker can make a real impression under Mourinho at Chelsea.