Chelsea have found themselves in a poor run of form in the Premier League ahead of the World Cup break this month, conceding consecutive defeats in their last three outings in the top flight which has seen them fall to eighth in the table.

New manager Graham Potter is in the early stages of establishing his best team and approach that will get the team firing again but may have the opportunity to polish up his philosophy by adding new players to the squad in the January transfer window.

Indeed, the former Brighton and Hove Albion manager will need to churn out some results before the opportunity to add depth to his squad in the new year, however, the transfer window could be the pivotal turning point if the club can acquire the right players in the right positions.

One area of the pitch that requires desperate attention is the midfield with a lot of uncertainty surrounding the future of key experienced players and the younger players who have not quite found their feet yet, giving Potter a lot to reflect on as he navigates through the second half of the season.

Conor Gallagher has been given the golden opportunity to take a more senior role at Chelsea after his outstanding season at Crystal Palace over the last campaign, but the club may not be afforded the time to allow him to develop and potentially find his place in the first team if they continue to lose games in the Premier League.

As a result, one player who would be an instant upgrade on the young Chelsea midfielder is Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who has already been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge this week.

The €80m-valued (£70m) star has been a standout performer in the Serie A where he currently ranks number one for assists and key passes in the entirety of the league, as well as seventh for chance creation.

When you compare Milinkovic-Savic with Gallagher this season, the Lazio talent outperforms his positional peer in goal contributions (10 v 2), shot-creating actions (37 v 19), dribble success (43.3% v 25%) and aerial duels won (58.5% v 42.9%).

Former Chelsea and current Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri has heaped praise on Milinkovic-Savic on many occasions, notably commenting:

"I’ve coached great midfielders, like Zielinski and Hamsik, and he’s one of the best. He really is a complete player with great quality."

"He also has great determination. And above all he’s improving in some aspects."

With that being said, there is no doubt that Milinkovic-Savic would be a great investment for Chelsea as they attempt to rebuild their midfield over the next few transfer windows and he could be just the player Potter needs to get his team back on track in the second half of the season.