Chelsea loan army: Keep, loan or sell? Jack Wakely (Part 14)

In Part 13 of this series, I broke down Fikayo Tomori’s career at Chelsea and discussed what his future in football looks like. For those who haven’t read the introductory piece to this series, a different player will be the subject of a new article every day. I began with goalkeepers and am currently in the process of working my way up the pitch, with each position group being sorted in order by the way in which they appear on the club’s website.

As I move on with the loan army series, I continue the deep dive into the defensive loanees with Jack Wakely. One can be forgiven for not knowing the name as Wakely is one of the youngest members of the loan army. He hasn’t made a senior appearance and it appears he may not for another season or two, maybe more at Chelsea, should he extend his deal. Wakely has no photos in the Getty Images database, nor does he have a Wikipedia page—he’s one of the most unknown prospects in the Blues’ loan system. Regardless, the youngster is no slouch compared to his fellow defenders.

What does Jack Wakely’s Chelsea career look like?

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The English centerback joined the club at the under-nine level. Wakely made his debut for Chelsea’s youth team while still a schoolboy back in the 2016/17 season. He made his biggest career leap toward becoming a professional footballer on the opening day of the following campaign when he debuted for the Blues’ U18 side.

Wakely played a fairly large role in Jody Morris’ youth side that won the quadruple. He got minutes in 16 games at the back during his debut campaign. His early season displays were impressive enough to convince the club to offer him a professional contract—which he obviously signed—that ran through the summer of 2020. He continued his steady progression through the youth ranks from that point on. Wakely reached another career stepping stone during the 2018/19 season when he made his U19 debut against Molde. He followed this up by elevating himself into the development squad the following season where he featured 18 times. This earned him a one-year extension onto his initial Chelsea contract.

Wakely followed this up by leaving on loan during the final hours of the winter transfer window in 2019. As an 18-year-old, he joined Basingstoke Town of the Southern Premier South Division. Wakely’s versatility—specifically his ability to play a centerback on either side or in a back-three—was utilized with Basingstoke as he played in 15 games during the four months he spent with the club.

He continued his run with the Chelsea U23s upon his return and played there until he moved to Brighton in February 2021. The Seagulls brought him in to add some extra competition to the back line in their U23 team. He has played in seven matches for Brighton’s U23 squad, only missing out in the contest against the Blues.

This begs the question: what does Chelsea do with Wakely this summer?

Verdict: “Sell”

There is no immediate plan for Wakely, despite his contract running out in a few months’ time. He’s one of the few players that will probably become a casualty of FIFA’s new loan restrictions. The Blues’ loan army will soon dissolve into a mere loan unit—Wakely unlikely to be amongst the ranks. The youngster isn’t a real priority to Chelsea considering he is yet to make his senior debut for the club and nearing his 21st birthday. Luckily for Wakely, the market for tall, physical and versatile 20-year-old English centerbacks will never die down. The quotations around the verdict are due to his contract expiring in June as the club will no longer dictate Wakely’s future.

Next. Chelsea loan army: Keep, loan or sell? Fikayo Tomori (Part 13). dark

Remember to check back with The Pride of London each and every day as I dive into the largely uncharted world of Chelsea’s famous loan army. Part 15’s subject is defender Davide Zappacosta.

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