Chelsea have a gem on their hands in 17-year-old Reggie Walsh, whose style of play sounds awfully similar to that of Cesc Fabregas.
It’s a golden era of young talent at Stamford Bridge, and Walsh might just be the gem in the Cobham crown.
John Terry has lauded Walsh as an incredible prospect. He broke out last season, being handed a start in the Conference League, just 16 at the time. He has since appeared in the Carabao Cup and Champions League, and looks like becoming a key man for the Blues for years to come.
Walsh signed his first Chelsea contract upon turning 17, and he’s already looking to the season ahead as a chance to further establish himself, while also giving us an idea of what we can expect from him on the pitch.
Reggie Walsh poses after signing his first professional contract with Chelsea.
Photo by Chris Lee – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Reggie Walsh’s playstyle description has shades of Cesc Fabregas
Walsh has become a regular for the Under-21s, and is preparing for a UEFA Youth League clash with Qarabag on Wednesday.
Ahead of the tie, Walsh sat down with Chelsea’s website and gave an interesting description of his playstyle.
He says: “I’d say my biggest strengths are my football intelligence and my ability to receive the ball in tight spaces under pressure.
“I’m always scanning and looking to play forward, breaking lines and progressing the play. Also, I think my decision-making is something I take pride in. It’s something I’ve worked hard on and I always try to keep it sharp and consistent, especially in high-pressure situations.”
His description reminded us of comments made by Jose Mourinho back in 2014, at the start of what would be a title-winning campaign — saying Fabregas was ‘the missing piece’.
As seen in IBT, Mourinho claimed: “We need his football brain in our team. He’s very intelligent.
“He is a little bit like the missing piece of our engine. We are so happy and all the players are too – they have a fantastic feeling with him because of how quickly he thinks on the pitch.”
If Walsh’s self-description holds true, he could provide a similar X-factor to the Spaniard all those years ago.
Reggie Walsh looks up to Cole Palmer
Walsh was asked which Chelsea player he admires most, and despite being a more traditional midfielder, he went for Chelsea’s star number 10.
As he puts it: “Cole Palmer, for sure. He’s just so creative and unpredictable. He sees the game differently and makes things happen out of nowhere.
“Watching him closely has been inspiring. He’s a player I try to learn from every time I see him play or train.”
If Walsh can somehow combine Palmer’s attacking prowess with the attributes he currently possesses, he could be a daunting proposition for opposing defences for years to come.
This season will be massive for the youngster, who has seen other teenagers like Max Dowman and Rio Ngumoha given opportunities to star for teams at the very top level. There’s no reason why he can’t follow suit.