Chelsea is one of the most desired landing spots for today’s youth

Chelsea’s success from the early 2000’s on has made the west London club one of the top tier destinations for today’s young stars.

Fabrizio Romano was quick to crush the dreams of Chelsea fans around the world earlier when he denied bogus reports about saying the Blues were seriously interested in buying Erling Braut Haaland next summer. While supporters’ wishes won’t come true—at least not yet—the whispers did flip a light switch in the minds of many of us at The Pride of London. Part of the reason the Haaland rumor was so believable at first is because he’s young.

We’re now reaching a point in history when players born in the early 2000’s are making their way to the forefront of world football. These are the players that, from a young age, have seen nothing but Chelsea’s success in England and abroad. The Blues’ titles, stars and fame have given them an incredible reputation amongst today’s up and coming players; so much so that Stamford Bridge is becoming one of the most sought after places to play amongst youth stars.

Perhaps no promising talent embodies this principle more than Kai Havertz. It didn’t take much convincing for the German wunderkind to fall in love with the Blues. The 21-year-old was one of the few Chelsea summer acquisitions to cite growing up watching Frank Lampard as one of the main reasons he wanted to play in London.

Lampard was one of the core pieces of the Blues’ success around the turn of the century. Alongside legends like Didier Drogba, Petr Cech and John Terry, Lampard won everything there is to win in Europe as a part of the club. Since 2000, the Blues are the second most successful club in England, winning five league titles. Further, Chelsea has won one Champions League, two Europa Leagues, six FA Cups and three League Cups. The generation of players coming up through the ranks of European football today witnessed all of it as they went on their own footballing journeys.

Young stars like Kylian Mbappe and Leon Bailey have expressed their love for the Blues; while players such as Haaland have voiced their respect for Lampard. Sure, Chelsea may not have been a European superpower throughout the late 1900’s, but today a “what have you done for me lately?” mentality looms large. The west Londoners have built a brand on the basis of success since Roman Abramovich took over in June of 2003 and 2020’s budding stars were around to watch that unfold.

In today’s culture, nostalgia builds more than history. Chelsea has a greater pull power than some of its neighbors—despite lacking what opposing fans call history—because success in SW6 is all the young generations know. The trophies, the stars, the bright lights of a historic fortress and the posh location in one of the world’s most intriguing cities all play a part in bringing players in, but it’s the nostalgic atmosphere that puts pen to paper.

As the Blues embark on this new journey behind Lampard and his youthful squad, it’s important to remember this isn’t a fluke. Chelsea is going to sign more players like Werner and Havertz in coming years, it’s what Abramovich and the club’s hierarchy have been planning for this entire time.

Which young star will be the next to perfect their craft at Chelsea? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!