Thomas Tuchel has revealed when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could make his Chelsea debut and explained the decision to bring Denis Zakaria to the club.
The Blues completed a deadline day double signing to bring the pair to the club before the end of the transfer window this summer.
Aubameyang arrived on a permanent deal from Barcelona which saw Marcos Alonso's contract terminated before he went in the other direction.
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Zakaria, on the other hand, is a loan move and Chelsea have the option to make the deal premanent as part of the transfer.
However, neither player is likely to make their debut against West Ham on Saturday after arriving on Thursday night.
Aubameyang is facing a lay-off through injury after his house was robbed and he was assaulted in Barcelona, while Zakaria is struggling to get a work permit.
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Speaking to the press, as quoted by the Independent, Tuchel confirmed when Aubameyang could make his debut before explaining the decision to sign Zakaria.
He said: “We will try with a mask, it depends a little on what the specialists say who create the mask for him, and how he adapts to the mask.
“So maybe, maybe it (debut) could be Tuesday (in Zagreb), maybe it is Fulham, maybe it is a week later. It is at the very latest after the international break.
“But we’ll try to push things and Auba is happy to push things.
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“So he’s out there now at the specialist to get his mask done, and he tries I think Sunday in training.”
The head coach continued to discuss the decision to sign Zakaria on deadline day too, speaking to the Daily Mail.
"There's always a risk in everything and in every last minute deal," the head coach continued.
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"This was an option that came in very late. It was related maybe not to the numbers that we should have in midfield but actually have in midfield.
"We have Kova who has knee problems over the last weeks, who can hopefully make it without surgery and will be available right now.
"He was a little bit on the edge of surgery or no surgery during the last weeks with N'Golo Kante struggling. Suddenly, we thought, is this enough?
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"He can play in a back three. He played for Monchengladbach in a back four as a central defender even, he can play in a back three as a defender. He can play both positions in midfield.
He can play at even wing-back because he is fast enough and has the volume so I think giving the risks that you mentioned with Saul, he has a bit more positions to play in and a bit more of a physical profile hopefully."
It remains to be seen as to when the midfielder could make his first appearance for Chelsea, with his work permit yet to be granted.
Topics: Chelsea, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Thomas Tuchel, Football
Nick Emms