Chelsea are back from pre-season and preparing for their first campaign under new manager Enzo Maresca.
While the constant change of manager doesn’t do much in terms of stability, what it does provide is a blank slate for players of any age who want to make an impact and improve their standing in the club.
With the trip to the United States just around the corner, here are five young players fans should pay attention to.
Age: 18
Position: Winger
While Chelsea were busy selling Estevao Willian, they had a homegrown winger making a lot of noise at school.
18-year-old Tyrique George, who is usually deployed as a left-back who runs right, scored nine goals and provided six assists in just 13 Under-18 Premier League games last year and showed the kind of brilliance that suggests he is ready. always play at a high level.
Mykhailo Mudryk and Raheem Sterling are Chelsea’s mainstays in the senior squad, but with both players struggling to impress, there could be opportunities for George this summer and beyond.
Age: 18
Position: Right back/center back
Reece James, Tariq Lamptey, Tino Livramento – if there’s one thing the Chelsea academy knows, it’s right-backs.
Next in line of production is the towering Josh Acheampong, who is over 6ft tall, and has been given a lot of experience at full back. He is the best full-back and can easily fit into Maresca’s squad.
Chelsea fans got their first glimpse of Acheampong last season when he made a well-earned debut in May’s 2-0 win over Tottenham, but there should be more opportunities in the coming weeks.
Age: 18
Position: Left-back/centre-back
While Chelsea have a rich history of producing right-backs, left-back is an area where the academy has struggled in recent years, so the Blues moved to rectify that by signing Ishe Samuels-Smith from Everton in 2023.
Like Acheampong, Samuels-Smith is a technically gifted full-back whose frame sees him used at centre-back, although perhaps he lacks the height usually required to play in senior football.
With Maresca known to prefer left-backs over traditional options such as Ben Chilwell, there could be a real chance for Samuel-Smith to have an impact on the new manager.
Age: 17
Position: Midfielder
Chelsea were delighted to lure midfielder Kiano Dyer from West Bromwich Albion in 2021, and anyone who has followed his development since then will understand why.
Dyer was a regular in the Under-21 team last season despite only being 17 in November, playing a more direct role in midfield against players often four years his senior. He even caught the eye of Mauricio Pochettino and spent four games on the bench for the senior team at the end of last season.
It may be too soon for Dyer to be part of the first team, but the 17-year-old is already punching above his weight and showing exactly why he is regarded as one of England’s best midfielders of his age.
Age: 21
Position: Centre-back
Arguably no defender at Chelsea is better suited to Maresca’s ways than Bashir Humphreys.
The 21-year-old is almost uncannily tall and incredibly comfortable with the ball at his feet which, given Maresca’s greatness at playing at the back and breaking lines with clever passes, may help him catch the eye.
Chelsea obviously don’t need any more defenders, but Humphreys could easily shine this summer and play in Maresca’s way of thinking.
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