Chelsea's pursuit of Granit Xhaka has sparked excitement among fans, with ex-Chelsea and England winger Joe Cole praising the midfielder's leadership qualities.
Cole, who spoke to Paddy Power, believes Xhaka would bring invaluable experience to Stamford Bridge, citing his impressive performances at Bayer Leverkusen and Sunderland last season.
"Going after Xhaka is a good sign for Chelsea fans because it shows that the handcuffs of only signing young players and developing them are now off," Cole said.
"It seems they're making good positive strides. He seems like the right character for the dressing room."
Cole doubts Xhaka would be a guaranteed starter at Chelsea, but is adamant that the Swiss midfielder would bring leadership to a dressing room that badly lacked experienced heads last season.
"He played nearly every game for Leverkusen and Sunderland. Will he play every game at Chelsea?" Cole added.
"Will he still be a great leader if he isn't on the pitch every game? I think he will. I certainly hope he will."
Xhaka's potential move to Chelsea has been met with resistance from Sunderland, who are reluctant to lose their most important squad member.
Cole believes the club's opening offer of £8million for Xhaka was swiftly rejected by Sunderland, but remains to be seen if Chelsea will return with a follow-up bid.
Cole also addressed the uncertainty surrounding Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez's futures at Chelsea, with Fernandez reportedly keen to follow Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid.
"He wouldn't be starting ahead of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, who for me are two of the best central midfielders in world football," Cole said.
"We'll see if he ends up signing, but I like the fact that if he does, it is for sure a Xabi Alonso signing."
