Chelsea: Homegrown status becoming a factor in who stays, who goes
By George Perry
Jorginho took Chelsea’s only open spot for a non-homegrown player. Chelsea will now have to go one-in, one-out for any non-homegrown transfers, and homegrown Blues have a new advantage.
Along with the remaining players from last year’s squad, Jorginho completed Chelsea’s complement of 17 non-homegrown players. If the Blues bring in Aleksandr Golovin, Daniele Rugani, Allison Becker or just about any other player in their transfer rumour mill, they will need to sell one of their current non-homegrown’s.
This thins the ice under Willian, Pedro and Davide Zappacosta. These players were already at the top of the “to sell” list simply on age, performance and compatibility with Maurizio Sarri’s style. With Jorginho in, they are now blocking the inclusion of any more of Sarri’s targets.
On the other side, the homegrown situation could keep Ross Barkley, Victor Moses and Gary Cahill around long enough to earn their way into Sarri’s squad. If Chelsea were to sell them or any of their other homegrown players, it would not clear the path for one of Sarri’s targets.
The Blues will need to carry their homegrown players for depth, if nothing else. This presents the opportunity to break into Sarri’s XI. It would be yet another chance for Gary Cahill to fight his way back from the edge of oblivion into a starring role for the club. But recent rumours indicate he may be unwilling to settle for the scraps that will remain if Sarri brings in Daniele Rugani and switches to a two-centreback formation.
Ross Barkley could have another attempt to launch at Chelsea. The Blues’ surplus of central midfielders and their needs on the wing could see him make the jump from homegrown depth to homegrown starter. No such luck will likely present itself to Danny Drinkwater, though. And since there is no minimum for the number of homegrown players, Chelsea can still sell him to everyone’s benefit.
Another player potentially mixed in with the homegrown shuffle is Thibaut Courtois. The Blues have been linked – somewhat strangely – with Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. The 31-year old better fits the profile of a backup goalkeeper at Chelsea than a starter. But he is homegrown. If Chelsea sell Courtois and buy Schmeichel, they free up a non-homegrown slot elsewhere on the pitch. Replacing Courtois with Schmeichel could be the key to bring in Golovin or another top target.
The other option the homegrown rule offers is to pad the squad with youth players. The Premier League limits teams to 17 non-homegrown players and a total squad of 25. This allows teams to carry up to eight homegrown players. However, a team can have an unlimited number of players under 21.
If Sarri and the board are not interested in buying homegrown players to replace any who leave, they can make up their depth with Ethan Ampadu, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tammy Abraham. This could be the best opportunity for the long term, provided Sarri gives them adequate playing time. Sarri has not turned to youth players much since his early days at Empoli. But he has never had an academy with as much talent as Chelsea’s. If he makes it worth their while not to go on loan, the under-21 exception could be a boon to Chelsea’s squad management.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek may be the one of the prime beneficiaries of Chelsea feeling the homegrown pinch. He has many of the attributes Sarri looks for in his midfielders, he is coming off a strong showing in the group stages of the World Cup and he is homegrown. The midfield of Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho and N’Golo Kante could be one of Sarri’s most important early contributions.
Loftus-Cheek, the loan army and the cadre of under-21 players with a chance of making the first-team are Chelsea’s best route to avoid these situations in the future. The Premier League may make the homegrown rule more stringent over the next five years.
Next: Mason Mount's loan to Derby County is better for his development
Chelsea have the pieces in place to avoid a mad scramble down the road. Sadly, they lack the foresight and planning capacities to take the necessary actions now.