Chelsea: A route back for Loftus-Cheek, Gallagher and Ampadu

Read part one of this series, which looks at the prospects of young players currently in the Chelsea squad. Part two takes a look at three players currently on loan at Premier League clubs.  

Ruben Loftus-Cheek was the darling of the Chelsea youth system for years, massively talented and the first player to walk that difficult path between the academy and the first team. That crown was only recently taken by Mason Mount ,but make no mistake, Loftus-Cheek was the first to do it.

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Chelsea fans have adored Loftus-Cheek since he came on for his debut under Jose Mourinho, but he only established himself under Maurizio Sarri. That was ruined when the Blues played a friendly in the United States before the Europa League final, and Loftus-Cheek suffered an injury that would take him out of football for over a year—an absence extended by the Coronavirus. The Englishman was just entering the peak of his powers before that Achilles injury altered his trajectory with his comeback in the return to play rusty, evident of a player that hadn’t played in a long time. Sent on loan to Fulham this season to get match fitness, he would likely not be getting as readily at Chelsea, Loftus-Cheek initially struggled to make an impact at Craven Cottage.

He has since established himself as something of a mainstay in the Fulham midfield, with 16 PL appearances and one goal so far this season. His route back to Chelsea was assured under Lampard, who saw him as a future dynamic midfielder in blue. Those prospects still look very positive under Tuchel. Loftus-Cheek only has Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante for competition, both of whom offer totally different styles of play, with Kovacic more linking and Kante more defensive. Loftus-Cheek would likely operate where Kovacic currently is, as a mobile box-to-box midfielder, helping to link passes between Jorginho and the attackers.

The Englishman should be optimistic about his chances, as Kovacic—and especially his current midfield partner Jorginho—love to play passes sideways, often robbing Chelsea of a quick move forward. Loftus-Cheek is at his best when he is driving play forward, using his strength and power over the ball to blur the lines between midfield and attack. The stagnant build-up play the Blues have shown against Wolves and Sheffield United under Tuchel could do with some more direct players and Loftus-Cheek at his best is exactly that.

Conor Gallagher has floated under the radar as another successful graduate Chelsea youth player, mostly due to the fact that he wasn’t Mount or Fikayo Tomori playing for Lampard at Derby. Named the 2018/19 Academy Player of the Year, he earned a loan to Charlton Athletic, where he found success at The Valley, despite Charlton’s struggles. He finished last season out at Swansea after moving on from Charlton. What has been even more impressive though is how he has adapted to the Premier League during his loan spell this season at West Brom. The English midfielder has made 17 appearances in the Premier League and scored twice, but the arrival of Sam Allardyce has hurt Gallagher in some respects.

West Brom is 19th in the league and the more expansive style of football the club was playing has been dialed back since Slaven Bilic was sacked. Gallagher—a box-to-box midfielder with an eye for goal, evidenced by his outside the box low drive against Sheffield United in November—can also play further up the field in a more attacking role. With regards to Chelsea, the upcoming season is too soon to really considering the Englishman for a place in Tuchel’s squad. There is every reason to think he could form a fantastic midfield trio with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Billy Gilmour in a few years though. Considering his age—he just turned 21 on February 6—and the fact that West Brom is his first consistent Premier League stint, another loan is necessary.

N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are both 29 and Kovacic 27 in May, so there is a place in the not-too-distant future for Gallagher. For now, Premier League football is a must, so unless West Brom pulls off a miracle, a more advanced Premier League team in the form of Crystal Palace, Leeds, Brighton, Wolves or Southampton is an excellent next step for the midfielder.

The ‘Welsh David Luiz’ is a peculiar nickname, but it’s one that Ethan Ampadu wore well. With how the Brazilian David Luiz is playing at Arsenal, compared to how the now short-haired Ampadu is playing on loan at Sheffield United, and pretty soon Luiz would love to be compared to the Welshman.

Ampadu is still only 20, but is now turning in performances far beyond his years. He made his full Chelsea debut at just 17 and became the first player born after 2000 to start a game. Safe to say, he should be a staple of the Blues’ team in the near future. Ampadu is best as a centreback but can play deep-lying midfielder thanks to his excellent ability to spray a long pass, matched by his strength and ferocity in the tackle. Just recently, he marshaled Marcus Rashford with an ease that few Premier League—including most Chelsea defenders—have struggled to do.

Thiago Silva is Chelsea’s best and oldest centreback. With Azpilicueta’s legs running out on him, Antonio Rudiger’s shakiness and Tuchel yet to play Kurt Zouma, that leaves Andreas Christensen as the only defender under 25. It may seem a stretch to say, but Ampadu’s composure at the back, plus his ability to knock passes over the top, means he could handily replace Rudiger and maybe even Christensen.

If Chelsea want to pursue Erling Braut Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, it will need to make some sales. Zouma might be most valuable defender the Blues have, but Rudiger is the most attractive sale option considering his age and experience. That is not to say Rudiger should just be sold out of pocket, but if he were, Ampadu is more than capable of playing in that role. At 20, he is only going to get better, much better.

Keep an eye out for part three, coming Saturday morning to The Pride of London.