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Chelsea have been producing players from their academy for a long time. But the Blues have been criticised for not giving enough chances to their youngsters. Things have changed lately, and the Champions League winners have incorporated a few academy products into their first team.
Frank Lampard's arrival and the transfer ban forced Chelsea to change their approach towards academy players. To be fair, the players coming out of their academy have also proven why they deserve their chances. The Blues have seven academy players in their Premier League squad this season, and at least three of them start on a regular basis.
Without further ado, here are the top five academy products in the current Chelsea team:
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#5 Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Ruben Loftus-Cheek has had a tough time at Chelsea, as he never settled into the first team. The Englishman was all set to break into the team and seal his place. But he got injured in a friendly just before Chelsea's Europa League triumph in Baku against Arsenal.
The midfielder had the physique and talent to become one of the best players in his position, but was mismanaged a few times. Antonio Conte saw him as a striker, while Maurizio Sarri used him as an attacking midfielder.
Thomas Tuchel sees him as a no. 6 ,and has been using him in the pivot in the last few games. If Ruben Loftus-Cheek keeps doing well and hits top form, there may be no stopping him from breaking into the Chelsea starting XI again.
#4 Callum Hudson-Odoi
Callum Hudson-Odoi is easily one of the most talented players Chelsea have ever produced. He has the ability to get past defenders, and beat them in one-on-one situations without breaking a sweat.
The Englishman, who could soon switch to Ghana, was a target for Bayern Munich before he penned a new deal at Chelsea. The Bundesliga side saw his high ceiling sealing, and tried to lure him.
However, Chelsea were not letting him leave any time soon, as they see him as a part of the club's future. He has not sealed his place in the starting XI. But he could feature a lot more in the coming games, as he has impressed in his substitute appearances this season.
#3 Andreas Christensen
Andreas Christensen is the perfect example of how Chelsea's loan system works. The Danish star was loaned out to Borussia Mönchengladbach for two years, and has returned to become a first-team regular. The Danish star spent eight years in Brondby before joining Chelsea's academy in 2012-13.
Chelsea have had different systems in the last few seasons, but Christensen has performed well in all of them. He has established himself as the centre-back or right centre-back in Thomas Tuchel's side this season.
Andreas Christensen's talent makes him a versatile player at the back for Chelsea. But his time at the club has not been perfect by any means. He was in and out of Frank Lampard's side. There were talks of the club cashing in on him before Tuchel arrived, and things changed for him.
#2 Reece James
Chelsea have produced three top right-backs for England in the last couple of seasons. They are Tariq Lamptey, Reece James and Tino Livramento. All three have shone in the Premier League.
However, there was a place for just one of them in the Chelsea team. Reece James grabbed that spot with both hands. The former Wigan loanee has shown why he is highly rated by the Blues fans, performing well consistently.
Reece James joined the Chelsea academy when he was just six years old, and has been at the club ever since.
#1 Mason Mount
Mason Mount is easily the best Chelsea academy product to make it to the first team in the Roman Abramovich era. The youngster joined the club's academy when he was six, and he has been with them ever since.
He went out on a couple of loans before making his debut in 2019 under Frank Lampard. Mason Mount marked his Premier League debut at Stamford Bridge with a goal, and has been a key part of their starting XI.
Lampard said about Mount:
"There are no limits. He has the full package. He is incredibly talented and even more importantly, he has the personality at a very young age to keep his feet on the ground, to arrive every day at Cobham with a smile on his face."
"Mason is simply happy to be out there on the pitch and playing football. It doesn't make a difference if he is playing short-sided games, or four against four or if he plays out there in boxes."
Mount is touted to be a future Chelsea captain, having done so at the youth level.
