There is a place in the Chelsea squad for Ethan Ampadu

Chelsea’s been knocked down by different governing bodies numerous times over the last few years. Between the transfer embargo, the club’s sanctioning and its subsequent sale, there have been a lot of negatives around the Blues. However, not everything about these situations had a negative impact on the club. It’s no coincidence that Chelsea got back to winning ways shortly after it dipped its toes into the transfer market immediately following the ban. The Blues now find themselves in a similar situation after the government sanctions forced a rebuild of sorts.

This has led to Thomas Tuchel exploring all avenues in order to build his ideal squad for the upcoming season. While Todd Boehly and Co. work on securing the signatures of new additions, the manager has been taking a look at the players within the club’s ranks this preseason. There are many returning loanees who have the chance to remain with the Chelsea for the upcoming campaign. Conor Gallagher has already confirmed that he will stay in Tuchel’s team, but he likely won’t be the only one. Ethan Ampadu looks to have a place in the Blues’ ranks, as well.

There is a place in the Chelsea first team for Ethan Ampadu this season

Ampadu has been one of Chelsea’s more impressive players during its first two preseason contests. He’s played 45 minutes in both matches, coming on as a halftime substitute in each game. The Welsh international hasn’t performed flawlessly, but to that point, who has? The purpose of preseason is to knock the rust off and get back into shape—something Ampadu is doing well. Fans have often put Ampadu’s development on the back burner after a couple of failed loans to RB Leipzig and Sheffield United. Despite the previous struggles, he excelled in an otherwise horrid Venezia side that was relegated from Serie A last season.

Supporters seemingly brush off the idea of Ampadu making the first team squad because he’s been around forever, yet not broken through up until this point. However, it’s easy to forget that he debuted as a teenager during Antonio Conte’s second season in charge of the Blues. Ampadu has multiple years of top flight experience under his belt in three of Europe’s top five leagues, which is incredible for a 21-year-old. Most footballers are still trying to perfect their craft at that age; Ampadu looks incredibly confident in his abilities.

The part of Ampadu’s play that has stood out has been his willingness to take risks. It’s easy for young prospects to play a conservative style when getting an opportunity to play for the first team. There’s nothing wrong with that either, it’s a surefire way to ensure there are minimal mistakes made when the lights shine brightest. Ampadu has done things differently though. He’s gone in for the tough tackles, he’s made the creative passes that nobody else would and he’s genuinely looked like he belongs. Obviously, the precursor to those statements is that it is still preseason. Keeping Ampadu around west London comes with its perks though.

Declan Rice seems like a pipe dream at this point in the transfer window. Like a Christmas tree, Chelsea fans will now bag up those hopes and get them back out around this time next year. There are still some glaring holes in the squad—Tuchel wants another attacker and at least one central defender—that take precedent over a new midfielder. Ampadu represents a potential solution in numerous different positions. Similar to Trevoh Chalobah and Reece James, Ampadu can play both in defense and in midfield. The difference between those three is the former is actually the most experienced in the middle of the park.

The Blues are in the midst of a retooling, and as they prepare to clear out their ranks, it would greatly benefit them to see what exactly they have in Ampadu. The versatile defenseman could help relieve the depth issues within Chelsea’s ranks, as well as emerge as a star for the future in the process. Ampadu has a place in the Blues’ current squad, now it’s up to Tuchel to present him with that opportunity as the season approaches.

Do you think we could see Ampadu stay in SW6 for the upcoming campaign? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!