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For years, Chelsea as a club was maligned for ignoring the talent that came through their own academy. The Blues possess one of the best youth production lines in the world, however, the pathway from there to the first-team was blocked for several years owing to their short-sighted approach.
The London club's focus prior to this season was on instant success which came at a hefty cost. However, it all changed this season when circumstances forced them to turn to club great Frank Lampard.
Lampard came in with a youth-oriented policy, and coupled with a transfer ban, opened up the path from the academy to the first-team. Several promising youngsters such as Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, and Fikayo Tomori have already joined the senior squad this season. We, however, take a look at five more youth players who could follow a similar path next season.
#5 Tino Anjorin
18-year-old Tino Anjorin is among the most coveted talents currently playing in the Chelsea academy. The youngster has been with the club from the age of seven and made his first-team bow earlier this season in a Carabao Cup tie against Grimsby.
Anjorin only played for twenty-three minutes against the much lower-ranked opposition, however, he did show glimpses of his talent during that short cameo. Chelsea are hopeful of keeping the young midfielder at Stamford Bridge for the foreseeable future with contract talks between the two parties supposedly progressing well, as per The Athletic.
Meanwhile, away from the first-team, Anjorin has performed well this season at the youth level. The Englishman, who also holds a Nigerian citizenship, has played twenty-three times, scoring on elevn occasions and prociding six more assists. His numbers mean that the youngster has contributed with a goal once in every game-and-a-half.
The midfielder could still feature for the Blues' senior team in the months ahead, provided Chelsea secure a UEFA Champions League spot for the following season with games to spare.
#4 Ian Maatsen
Like his youth-level teammate Tino Anjorin, Dutchman Ian Maatsen was sent on to play twenty-three minutes against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup earlier this season by Frank Lampard. Chelsea fans caught a small glimpse of the player Maatsen promises to be in the near future, with the 17-year-old defender leaving many impressed.
Maatsen only joined the Blues' academy in 2018, signing from Feyenoord. However, he is regarded highly at Cobham, with the club hierarchy keen to tie him to a long-term contract. The Netherlands youth international, meanwhile, has been a constant fixture in the youth sqauds this season, making twenty-two appearances across several competitions. He has been largely deployed as a left-back in Premier League 2 but has played further forward in the FA Youth Cup.
Maatsen's chances of breaking through into the first-team next season have been boosted following the arrival of Frank Lampard. Furthermore, Inconsistent performances from Emerson and Marcos Alonso have worked in his favour, with the head coach opting to snub them both in several games across the season. Should either of them be sold next season, the Dutchman could be given a chance to impress and make the spot his own.
#3 Conor Gallagher
Keen to repeat the successful stint of Mason Mount, Chelsea sent midfielder Conor Gallagher to the Championship ahead of the start of the 2019/20 season. The youngster dropped down to the second division with high expectations, after being crowned as the Blues' Academy Player of the Year for the 2018/19 season, and has so far lived up to the hype.
Gallagher joined Charlton initially in August, scored three goals in his first six appearances, and picked up the EFL Young Player of the Month award. In the games that followed, the 18-year-old became a key part of Lee Bowyer's side, often being deployed behind the striker.
After six goals and four assists in twenty-six matches for Charlton, Gallagher was recalled by Chelsea and sent on loan to Swansea. He has since made seven appearances for the Welsh side and provided five assists during the same time.
While there is strong competition for starting spots in midfield in the current Chelsea squad, should Gallagher continue his strong run in the Championship, he might be handed a chance to impress Lampard next season.
#2 Armando Broja
The Chelsea academy has produced several talented attackers over the years. However, with their being no pathway into the first team before this season, they would usually depart in search of playing opportunities. When both Dominic Solanke and Patrick Bamford left the club in 2017, fans lost all hope of seeing an academy graduate leading the line for the Blues. That was until this season, when Frank Lampard arrived and instated Tammy Abraham as the first-choice striker.
Lampard's arrival has had a positive effect on the youth players, with several of them now committing their futures to the club after seeing a pathway into the first-team. Armando Broja is one such player, with the talented forward expected to follow Abraham's path into the senior squad.
The 18-year-old striker has led the line for both the Under-18s and Under-23s this season, scoring a total of eighteen goals in the process. Five assists have brought his goal contributions to twenty-three in thirty, making him a frontrunner for end-of-the-year academy award.
Broja could very likely make a first-team appearance before the end of the current campaign, having already trained with the senior squad on several occasions. The Albania youth international could also find himself on the periphery of Frank Lampard's squad next season, thanks to the coach's youth-oriented policy coupled with the uncertain futures of Michy Batshuayi and Olivier Giroud.
#1 Billy Gilmour
Anyone who has seen Billy Gilmour play will admit that there is something special about him. The Scottish midfielder has earned rave reviews whenever he has set foot on a football pitch, whether playing from the start in cup games or making cameo appearances in the league.
Gilmour joined the Chelsea academy from Rangers in 2017 and has progressed rapidly throught the ranks in the following three years. Head coach Frank Lampard also seems to be aware of the yougster's talents, as much was evident when he threw him in the middle of a closely-fought league encounter against Sheffield United earlier this season, with the Blues up by just one goal.
The 18-year-old will spend the rest of the season with the senior squad after being promoted by Lampard and is currently the best-placed academy player to break into the first-team. Gilmour's composure in the middle of the park along with his passing range make him the perfect deputy for Jorginho, a role he will very likely play next season.
