As the transfer window kicks into full gear, all the talk is currently about whom Chelsea FC will bring to Stamford Bridge. Will Radamel Falcao arrive? Or will it be Zlatan Ibrahimovic? What about the numerous midfielders linked with a move to West London?
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However, there is also talk of Chelsea academy stars having a major role next season. If even half of the transfer rumours flying around are realised, the club’s hot prospects will have to take any opportunity they get if they are to be busy next time around.
The Chelsea academy has been extremely successful in recent years. They have won three out of the last five FA Youth Cups (including consecutive victories in the last two campaigns) as well as this past season’s UEFA Youth League. Futhermore, the U21 squad won the Barclays U21 League, making it a treble of sorts for Chelsea’s farm system.
With all this comes expectation. A hell of a lot of it.
There is currently an epidemic in professional football to build teams by spending obscene amounts of money. Europe’s biggest clubs don’t replace from within anymore, instead opting to flash the cash on established players from around the world. Chelsea have arguably been more guilty of this than any other club out there.
Now with the introduction of Financial Fair Play (FFP), clubs have been forced to re-think their strategies in the transfer market as well as their long term strategies for the club itself.
Mourinho has to be able to rotate his team without feeling that he’s weakening it in any way
While some sides such as Real Madrid and Manchester United are in a position to carry on as they were, Chelsea cannot and this is why the alternative riches in the academy system must step up. Dominic Solanke, Kurt Zouma, Nathan Aké and Isaiah Brown are just a few of the highly touted names that may be expecting to feature for Jose Mourinho next season.
However, having said this, it is unlikely that they’ll immediately get a consistent playing role. The Blues have had a pretty solid starting XI throughout the past campaign, and whether this is due to a general lack of depth or just Mourinho’s preferences, the club have established players who will almost certainly line-up ahead of the youngsters next season too.
This means that the prospects will have to impress in whatever opportunity they receive, which will most likely come in the Capital One Cup. More importantly, they will need to impress if they see their future in a Blue shirt too.
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Former Blues starlet Jeffrey Bruma, recently warned just as much.
‘Every pre-season, players come back from loans with the hope of being in the first-team squad, but you have to realise that you are maybe in fifth spot for your position.
‘You have to make a point to play every week to progress – maybe in a different league, or a different country.
‘The players who come in for £20million obviously have more chances to play than a young player.’
This is grounded advice too. Bruma saw his career stall at Stamford Bridge having failed to leave a proper impression on any of the Blues management leading to his departure to PSV in the summer of 2013. He has, however, now shown his quality having made 31 league appearances in each of his two seasons there.
For the current crop, though, they need to avoid making the errors Bruma did, especially as a Champions League push depends on it. If Chelsea are to compete on all fronts next season, every man in the squad will need to stand up and put a shift in. Mourinho has to be able to rotate his team without feeling that he’s weakening it in any way.
Chelsea’s youth will be unlikely to have playing opportunities on a reglar basis next year, but when they get a chance, they need to show that they belong. Hell, an impressive enough performance may even translate into a starting berth somewhere down the line.