‘Don’t rush Baba into Chelsea XI’

Ghana assistant coach Maxwell Konadu has opined that new signing Baba Rahman should not be rushed into the Chelsea starting line-up.

The 21-year-old arrives with a big reputation and at a huge transfer fee and may be handed a starting role in the English Champions’ trip to West Bromwich Albion this weekend following speculations over uncertainties regarding Branislav Ivanovic.

Konadu, who mentored Baba three years ago in his first topflight season at Asante Kotoko, says it will be better to have the youngster who has joined from German side Augsburg gradually eased into manager Jose Mourinho’s starters’ sheet especially due to the club’s shaky start to the season.

“He [Baba] can play on the left fullback, the right fullback and in central defence. The way things are not going well for Chelsea at this time it will be good for him to start from the bench,” Konadu told Angel FM.

Baba, who has enjoyed a meteoric rise from Ghanaian lower tier side Dreams FC to stints with Kotoko, German sides Greuther Furth and Augsburg in a space of three years, signed a six-year deal in a transfer that cost the Blues a reported £21.7 million fee.