Chelsea completed their first signing of the January transfer window last week when they landed Ross Barkley from Everton for £15 million. 

The midfielder has been sidelined for almost eight months, suffering from a long-term hamstring injury, but is expected to return soon. 

And he could make his comeback at the perfect time for Antonio Conte's side. 

Chelsea have eight games over the next four weeks, with three cup ties and five league games before the visit of Barcelona in the Champions League in February. 

Conte will be desperate to go into a European knockout tie in good form, especially as they're up against the team who are one of the hottest on the continent this season. 

And that means Barkley will surely get a chance to prove himself at Chelsea, perhaps before he really expected to, due to the likelihood of squad rotation.

Normally, he'll be competing with the likes of Tiemoue Bakayoko, Cesc Fabregas, N'Golo Kante and Danny Drinkwater for a place in the first team. 

Although he'll get a run out in busy periods, Joey Barton has suggested that Barkley may find opportunities tough to come by under normal circumstances. 

"It is a good signing because £15 million for Ross Barkley, if he can get back to the form he has got, is actually very cheap," Barton told talkSPORT, per the Express. 

However, the former Manchester City and Burnley midfielder has claimed that he may not fit into Conte's first choice team and also raised a question about the manager surviving past this season.

"The issue is going to firstly be whether Conte stays at Chelsea beyond the end of the season. If they don't win the title or progress in the Champions League, there could be question marks.

"We all remember the Roma game not so long ago when he looked like he was teetering," Barton continued. 

"And I can't see Ross Barkley starting for that Chelsea side. Drinkwater has come in and done well and then it is kind of Hazard and Morata beyond that.

"I don't really see where Ross Barkley fits in to the current Chelsea style under Conte." 

Even if Barton's right, 24-year-old Barkley will have to try and impress as quickly as possible at Stamford Bridge. 

But coming back from an eight-month injury layoff will make a tough task even tough, as the players he's competing with are world-class themselves.