Chelsea’s rough spell continued off the pitch on Thursday night, as the club left the London Football Awards empty-handed for the first time in event history. Fulham starlet and Blues’ transfer target Ryan Sessegnon claimed two honours for the west side of town.
Ryan Sessegnon went home Thursday night with two more reminders of why Chelsea should be willing to break the bank for him this summer. Sessegnon was the only west Londoner to win at the London Football Awards, and in keeping with his £50 million (and rising) expected transfer fee, he won twice
Sessegnon took him honours for EFL Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year, beating Andreas Christensen for the latter award. The Young Player of the Year award remains the one London Football Award to elude Chelsea since the event started. Sessegnon, though, is the first non-Tottenham player to win.
Brentford’s Daniel Bentley denied Thibaut Courtois another award for Goalkeeper of the Year. Arsenal’s Jordan Nobbs won the Ladies’ Player of the Year over three Blues, and Harry Kane edged out Cesar Azpilicueta for Player of the Year. Roy Hodgson won as Manager of the Year, where Emma Hayes was the first ladies’ manager to receive a nomination in the event’s history.
The17-year old Sessegnon is the fourth-highest scorer in the Championship this season with 13 goals. He has four multi-goal games, with one brace coming as the left-back. He scored his other two braces and one hat-trick as a left attacking midfielder, highlighting his fit as a left wing-back.
Sessegnon would challenge both Marcos Alonso and Emerson from day one at Stamford Bridge. Like Kenedy, he has all the physical attributes necessary to be one of the world’s top left wing-backs. Unlike Kenedy, he has converted those raw elements into the finished product from an early age. He leads Fulham in goals and is second in assists, and has only two yellow cards on the season.
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Ryan Sessegnon will almost certainly be in the Premier League next season, although not with the club he grew up with. Sessegnon will be one of the most expensive teenagers in Premier League history this summer. Chelsea’s success with Andreas Christensen and the promise of Ethan Ampadu should give them the confidence to buy the wing-back next door before they have to play against him with one of their rivals.