Ruben Loftus-Creek is one of Chelsea’s highly-rated youngster’s hoping for more regular first team football next season
Chelsea sauntered to the Premier League title last season and looked strong for much of the campaign.
There has been little transfer activity so far at Stamford Bridge this summer.
The only impending deal looks like the loan signing of Colombian striker Radamel Falcao from Monaco, despite some Blues fans reported protestations at the deal.
Blues boss Jose Mourinho has hinted in the past that he wants to promote some of the clubs youngsters, so maybe next season will be the one where we see some of Chelsea’s bright young things featuring more regularly in the first team.
Here are just a few of Chelsea youngsters who could make an impact next season:
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
The 19-year-old midfielder is being touted as a potential star of the future at Stamford Bridge. The youngster made his Premier League debut towards the end of the campaign and is expected to play a bigger role for the Blues in the coming season.
Loftus-Cheek recently made his England under-21 debut and impressed as a substitute for the junior Lions in their 1-0 Euro 2016 victory over Sweden.
The youngster seems to have the physical presence, pose and passing ability to one day become a top player. The fact that Nigerian international John Obi Mikel is expected to leave the club this summer improves the midfielder’s chances of first team action next season.
Nathanial Chalobah
The versatile 20-year-old has yet to play a senior game for the Blues, but has taken in loan spells at the likes of Watford, Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough, Burnley, and most recently at Reading last season.
The Sierra-Leone born England under-21 international has impressed in his loan spells and could be part of Mourinho’s plans next season. However, he may well be loaned out for another season to gain first team experience.
Isaiah Brown
The 18-year-old forward signed from the West Brom academy is considered one of the brightest youngsters at Chelsea. He made his debut for the first team last season when he came on as a substitute for Loic Remy in the 3-0 defeat at West Brom.
Brown was a key player in Chelsea’s FA Youth Cup victory over Manchester City earlier this year. Brown can play as a winger and as a central striker. Considering the Blues potential lack of forward options could Brown feature more regularly next season?
It looks likely that he may be sent out on-loan to experience first team football elsewhere next season.
Bertrand Traore
The versatile forward joined Chelsea in October 2013, but was denied a work permit and sent out on-loan to Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem in January 2014. The 19-year-old has impressed for the Dutch side, scoring 18 goals in 48 Eredivisie appearances.
His record is more the impressive considering that he has played in a variety of positions for the Dutch club, including as a second striker, right winger and as a lone central striker.
Traore has already made 23 appearances for Burkino Faso at international level, having made his national team debut at the age of just 15.
Patrick Bamford
Bamford is one of the more well-known Chelsea youngsters after impressing on a season-long loan at Championship Middlesbrough last season. The 21-year-old scored 17 times in 39 Championship appearances as the north east side made the play-off final, only to be beaten by Norwich.
The England under-21 is apparently attracting more interest this summer in his services, with suggestions that he could even leave on a permanent basis in search of first team football.
Nathan Ake
The Dutch youngster, like Chalobah, can play in central defence and central midfield. The 20-year-old joined Chelsea from Feyenoord at the age of just 15 in 2010. Since his Premier League debut in 2012, he has gone on to make four more Premier League appearances.
His route to the Chelsea first team as a centre-back is blocked by the likes of John Terry, Gary Cahill, Kurt Zouma and even Branislav Ivanovic. Last season the highly-rated youngster played five games on-loan at Championship Reading and could once again be loaned out next season.
Unlikely
I have named just six promising youngsters at Chelsea, but there seems to be a plethora more. However, it seems unlikely with the players that Chelsea have available that many of their young players will be given much of a chance in the first team next season, with maybe the exception of Loftus-Cheek.
It would be good to see some of the clubs younger players feature next season though and hopefully some will get a taste of first team football on a more regular basis. Some of the Chelsea youngsters proved their class by winning the FA Youth club and with a bit of luck some of the class of 2015 can progress into the senior team in the near future.
Could youngsters feature for Chelsea next season?
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