Essugo, a €23m summer signing, has yet to make a senior appearance for the Blues, sitting on zero minutes compared to Lavia's 32 in his first season. The irony is stark as the club brought in Essugo to alleviate the pressure caused by Lavia's persistent fitness issues.
With the player set to return in March, Essugo must cut it fine to pick up vital sub appearances before the campaign concludes, otherwise, he risks inheriting the Belgian's unwanted legacy.