Chelsea – Three Young Guns
With five FA Youth Cup wins in the past seven years, it’s fair to say Chelsea know what it takes to be a young and successful side.
Winning has become something of a habit at Stamford Bridge, and with victories comes a whole new concept of confidence from a side reaching the limelight more and more.
But with the likes of John Terry moving on to pastures new, more opportunities are sure to crop up for these starlets, so here are three we’ve picked out as ones to watch over the coming years.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
AFP PHOTO / GLYN KIRK
Such has been the level-headedness surrounding Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s curtain-raising Premier League season, many Chelsea fans consider him to already be part of the furniture.
A product of the Blues’ mercurial youth setup, the now 21-year-old was thrust into the limelight as early as 2013, impressing in two friendlies against Manchester City.
The midfielder was thought of highly by then manager Jose Mourinho, and his chance was to come in the early stages of the 2015-16 season in a side that had one of its worst Premier League campaigns.
Loftus-Cheek accumulated 737 minutes that season, but even that wasn’t the breakthrough year many had hoped for.
Instead it was to come under Antonio Conte – despite many expecting the promising star to go on loan – with the Italian manager instead electing to keep him close to home.
That was rewarded with fewer appearances – just 11 across the year with injury playing his part – though he was on the winning side for nine of those, with an improved mentality to the game leaving a lot of Blues fans encouraged for the coming year.
Trevor Chalobah
(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
To make your debut for the under-18s aged just 14 shows you’ve got something very special. To be trusted in every position across the back four before your first season is out takes it even further for Trevor Chalobah.
The younger brother of 22-year-old Nathaniel, Trevor has already developed an unusual edge of having experience coupled with raw ability, playing more than 50 youth matches before his 18th birthday.
He was to be an integral part of Chelsea’s UEFA Youth League and FA Youth Cup winning teams of 2015-16, while also returning to the squad from the under-21s to help mastermind another FA Youth Cup crown, scoring in the second leg against Manchester City.
Part of England’s Under-19s squad for this summer’s European Championship, it seems only a matter of time before the 17-year-old becomes part of Antonio Conte’s main Chelsea squad, with a chance to join his brother in the senior side a possibility next season.
Ola Aina
(Photo by Kieran Galvin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Given a four-year contract before a ball was even kicked this season, Ola Aina certainly has the backing of all at Stamford Bridge.
A right-back by trade, Aina played a crucial part in all of Chelsea’s pre-season plans last term, ending the rumours of a switch away from the capital.
The 20-year-old has featured at all age groups for England since he was 16, with his professional chance coming in the EFL Cup last August – also having the honour of being replaced by John Terry with just a few minutes to go.
A Premier League cap was to come his way just the following month, though first-team opportunities were limited as Chelsea enjoyed continuity through the season.
That could all change this year though, should Aina fit into the Blues’ appreciated 3-4-3 system, while he also has a chance to stake his claim to reach the Nigeria first team having switched allegiances in March.
