Andre Schurrle has a point to prove after a faltering 2014-15 season [VIDEO]

Following the confirmation of Chelsea securing the Premier League title, Andre Schurrle received a text message from Jose Mourinho with notification of his eligibility to collect a Premier League winners medal. It was a slight consolation on what was an otherwise forgetful campaign for the 24-year-old.

After playing such a starring role for Germany at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where he bagged three goals and provided the crucial assist for Mario Gotze’s winner in the final, it was assumed he would return to Stamford Bridge and carry that feelgood factor and momentum into the new season.

With his position in Jose Mourinho’s starting lineup guaranteed after his exploits in Brazil, Schurrle began from where he left-off by netting in the club’s season opener away at Burnley, after rounding off a superb sequence of passes in the build up. The scene was set for the German to catapult his rising stocks even further with a prolific season at club level.

Schurrle’s would have to wait until September for his next goal, coming-off the bench to put Chelsea ahead away at Manchester City. Making do with substitute appearances was becoming a regular occurrence for the World Cup winner, as Mourinho opted to deploy Brazilian Willian on the right-flank and Eden Hazard on the left. The lack of game time lead to the player becoming frustrated with talk of a possible move away in January being mooted.

In all, Schurrle made 14 appearances last season with a large portion of them coming-off the bench, scoring three goals, and creating just six chances. In total he made 65 appearances, scoring 14 goals in his one-and-a-half year spell in West London.

After consultation with Germany coach Joachim Low, Schurrle decided it was a sensible decision to leave Chelsea and take up an offer from Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg, where he would be assured of a starting berth, and be competing for silverware in Germany and also in Europe, joining the club for a fee of £22 million (€30 million).

Like back at Turf Moor in August, Schurrle hit the ground running at his new home by grabbing two assists in his full debut, helping Die Wolfe to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Hoffenheim at the Volkswagen Arena in February.

It looked as though the adaption phase would be smooth for Schurrle after having previously plied his trade in the Bundesliga with Mainz and Bayer Leverkusen. What followed was months of frustration, as he then struggled to make any sort of meaningful impact. His lack of output was eating away at the attacker, as his spot in Dieter Hecking’s lineup became increasingly uncertain.

He would have to wait until April to open his account, scoring in a 3-1 win over Stuttgart, as the relief of getting off the mark for his new club was evident, after being resigned to a role as a substitute, with Ivan Perisic and Daniel Caliguiri preferred in flanking Kevin De Bruyne in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

It was a hugely successful season for Wolfsburg, who finished second in the Bundesliga, and won the DFB-Pokal Cup for the first time in it’s history, overcoming Borussia Dortmund 3-1 in the Berlin. Schurrle made a late cameo in the final, but would of been disappointed to play such a minimal part on such a big occasion.

Any player joining a new club mid-season is disadvantaged by the lack of time to integrate into a specific system, compared to a full preseason that contains simulation in training and warm up matches, improving team chemistry by forging an understanding with fellow teammates, and to acclimatise to the way a manager wants you to play.

[interaction id=”55b9ae6c41310d86074f97f8″]

A full preseason this time around will benefit Schurrle greatly, as he seeks continuity after what was a very stop-start 2014-15 campaign. With Perisic heavily linked to Inter Milan, his departure could potentially open the door for Schurrle to play in his preferred left-wing position, where he likes to cut inside and shoot from distance.

If the Chelsea cast-off can rediscover his direct and dynamic form he showed for Leverkusen in 2013, it will only make Wolfsburg an even tougher assignment for their Bundesliga rivals, with the makings of a formidable partnership with galloping full-back Ricardo Rodriguez down the left-hand side.

Even after his World Cup heroics and only showing glimpses of his full capabilities on the domestic front in recent times, Schurrle still has a point to prove, not only to the Wolfsburg hierarchy, but also to himself, that his still very much a force to be reckoned with in German football.