Chelsea has gotten a lot of criticism over the years for how it handles its youth prospects. A plethora of talented players have slipped through the cracks at Cobham for one reason or another. The Blues have used their so-called ‘loan army‘ to develop youngsters for years now, but unfortunately it doesn’t always pay off and some players find themselves stuck in purgatory. Loans can be impactful—Mason Mount’s stints at Vitesse and Derby County show us this—that said, there are two sides to every coin.
Ethan Ampadu’s time at RB Leipzig saw him ride the bench more often than not and his subsequent loan saw Sheffield United get relegated, despite the youngster’s best efforts to keep the Blades up. The Welshman seems to have lost his flair after two relatively unsuccessful stints away from SW6. Transfer rumors have linked the Blues to players like Maxence Lacroix and Declan Rice, making it a lot more difficult to believe Ampadu has been seriously considered as a player for the future. Chelsea needs to keep the versatile youngster around as he’s still one of the club’s most talented prospects.
The obvious elephant in the room is Ampadu’s red card a few minutes into the second half in Wales’ match against Italy on Sunday. It goes without saying a majority of viewers felt it was extremely harsh—a yellow at best. That incident aside, the 20-year-old put on a show against one of the world’s most complete sides. He played a free-flowing role that had him operating along the back line, but also gliding up the pitch when required. Ampadu passed the ball with an adept touch, dispossessed opponents with textbook technique and moved around with maturity.
Ampadu’s appearance against Italy—albeit relatively short—is likely to be his only showing of Euro 2020. He proved once again though that there is still reason to believe in him. The centerback-defensive midfielder hybrid’s stints with the international team mimic that of his time at Leipzig. Ampadu may not always get onto the pitch, but when he does, he justifies his selection.
A lot of things have not gone Ampadu’s way over the last few seasons. Since being handed his debut under Antonio Conte, Ampadu has watched as three different men have taken charge of Chelsea. This all has come while he’s been second fiddle to the pairing of Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate at Leipzig or playing his heart out for a poor (even that’s being generous) Sheffield United side. Many seem to forget the mature performances he put in under Conte as a 17-year-old in a Blues kit, it’s important for us to remember these moments though.
Ampadu still has a lot to offer, he can’t be labeled a failure yet. Fans need to hold their horses. As touched on earlier, the Welshman can effectively slot into the back line or midfield and look like he belongs. Not many players can say they possess that sort of positional flexibility. Ampadu isn’t the most experienced player, nor is he the flashiest. Regardless of the aforementioned traits he lacks, he should get a look into the Chelsea team for the upcoming campaign.
Thomas Tuchel’s men will be competing on six different fronts throughout the course of the season as Champions of Europe—the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup—they need all of the reinforcements that are practically necessary. The 20-year-old best suiting a back three when playing in defense also bodes well for him. West Ham looks unwilling to part with Declan Rice after qualifying for Europe and rumors linking Chelsea to a centerback have quieted lately. If the Blues are not able to secure a transfer in either area, Ampadu is the perfect man for the job. This is especially true when one considers what another unsuccessful loan could do to Ampadu’s confidence and/or career.
A lot of people have turned their attention to the shiny new toys in Chelsea’s loan army, as expected. This does not mean we can forget about the legitimate talents the club possesses. Do not give up on Ampadu, he’s got a lot of top flight football left in him, hopefully at Stamford Bridge.