Juan Cuadrado: 5 Qualities Fiorentina Winger Can Bring to Chelsea

Chelsea could well sign Fiorentina winger Juan Cuadrado this January, reports claim, and the Colombian would prove a significant upgrade on likely departures Andre Schurrle and Mohamed Salah.

The Guardian's Dominic Fifield claims "Chelsea have entered into talks with Fiorentina over the purchase of [Cuadrado] as the Premier League leaders prepare for the possible departure of [Salah] or [Schurrle] this month."

Fifield continues: "Talks...have quickly established Cuadrado’s £26.8m buyout clause would have to be triggered if a deal is to be concluded."

With Schurrle reportedly garnering interest from VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund and A.S. Roma targeting Salah, Chelsea may be forced to satisfy Fiorentina's demands.

Cuadrado is worth every penny, however, and would bring a plethora of talents to Stamford Bridge.

Here are five qualities Cuadrado can bring to Chelsea this January.

Pace

Chelsea often line up with a view to devastate their opponent on the counter-attack.

Jose Mourinho recently highlighted this as how his side were looking to damage Liverpool in Tuesday night's 1-1 League Cup draw at Anfield.

The manager told Sky Sports: "We had lots of situations where we recovered the ball and were facing a three defenders tactical system with lots of space to counter-attack...but we missed so many passes."

This system requires attackers with substantial pace, and Cuadrado can offer this to Chelsea.

A goal while on loan at Lecce in the side's 4-1 Serie A win over Siena in 2012 perfectly outlines Cuadrado's ability to devastate sides with his pace on the counter—a superb solo effort.

Creativity

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As an attacking midfielder, Cuadrado is reasonably tasked with creating goals and this remains one of the winger's strongest qualities.

Making 2.2 key passes per game on average this season, Cuadrado would be Chelsea's third-most prolific creative player behind Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard.

Furthermore, with three Serie A assists to his name, Cuadrado has helped create as many goals for his Fiorentina team-mates as Hazard has scored for the Blues.

More importantly, Cuadrado's creativity dwarfs that of one-assist winger Willian, who averages one key pass per game.

Goals

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As well as assists, Cuadrado is able to contribute directly in terms of goals and has proven to be a prolific attacking option during his time in Serie A.

This was particularly apparent last season, when Cuadrado scored 11 goals in 32 league games from a right-wing position.

Again, Cuadrado's goalscoring prowess overshadows that of Willian at Chelsea, who has scored just one goal this season in 21 games, and he told Chelsea magazine (h/t The Independent) in November of his target to improve.

"One thing I have in my mind is to score more goals," Willian said. "I am desperate to get on the scoresheet more often."

While Willian makes an important defensive contribution, the midfielder has continued to fail in front of goal, and Cuadrado could offer a more incisive attacking option on the right flank.

Attacking Flexibility

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Willian's current right-wing role may be the position Mourinho is looking to reinforce, but the benefit of signing Cuadrado is that Chelsea would be acquiring a supremely versatile attacking option.

Able to perform in every role up the right flank, Cuadrado has also played all across the front line this season, with one start coming as a No. 9.

Cuadrado has actually enjoyed the most success with nine games in the No. 10 role this season—his four goals all came from this position just behind the striker, as well as two of his league assists.

In September, Mourinho lauded the impact of versatile summer signing Fabregas, per the club's official website.

"One of the reasons he’s so important for us is because he can play in any position in midfield," the manager opined, suggesting the midfielder's role "depends [on] what you want for the game."

Cuadrado would offer a similarly successful tactical flexibility to Mourinho.

Defensive Depth

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Although Mourinho's current squad is exceptionally strong, and the manager far from a proponent of regular rotation, the one area Chelsea could require added depth is at full-back.

With Cesar Azpilicueta establishing himself as one of the Premier League's leading left-backs since a switch from the right flank, and summer's £15.8 million signing Felipe Luis offering reliable cover when required, Branislav Ivanovic stands as Mourinho's only regular right-back at this juncture.

If injury hits two of those three at any point, Chelsea would suffer.

Cuadrado's history as a right-back would allow him to provide ample cover in this situation, and he averaged a healthy 3.4 tackles and 1.8 interceptions per game in this role at Lecce.

It would be a last-resort role for Cuadrado, but his versatility would help with Chelsea's depth.

Statistics via WhoScored.com.

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