More joy for Chelsea’s academy stars, who have lit up the pitch for England over the past week.
The England senior team has finished the job and secured passage to the World Cup next summer, but there’s still plenty to play for at the youth levels.
On Friday, 16-year-old Matthis Eboue bagged a hat-trick in 23 minutes for the U17s. Then, on Saturday, Jesse Derry followed up with an U19 hat-trick of his own.
On Tuesday afternoon, it was the U19s in action again, and Derry’s strong showing was only outdone by another Cobham teammate.
Shumaira Mheuka poses after scoring a hat-trick for Chelsea in the UEFA Youth League.
Photo by Chris Lee – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Shumaira Mheuka and Jesse Derry star for England Under-19s
The U19 Euros take place at the same time as the World Cup this summer, and England’s latest 4-0 win over Scotland maintains their perfect record in the group.
Derry had his paws on everything England did going forward, providing one assist and being involved in two of the other goals.
But fellow Chelsea star Shumaira Mheuka was the star of the show, scoring two first-half goals for the Young Lions.
It’s another impressive showing that drills home the fact that Chelsea’s academy is of the very highest quality in the country, and that the future of the Blues’ front line is in good hands.
Chelsea’s impending staffing issue
While it’s brilliant to see Mheuka, Derry and Eboue all in rapid scoring form, it does make you wonder about what Chelsea’s plan is with so many strikers just arrived, about to arrive, and arriving in the future.
Joao Pedro and Liam Delap are naturally at the top of the food chain, but you also have Marc Guiu waiting in the wings.
Emanuel Emegha is due to arrive at Chelsea at the end of the season, as is Dastan Satpayev. As it stands, Nicolas Jackson won’t be staying at Bayern and will be another striker at Stamford Bridge.
Would Endrick be a good signing for Chelsea?
Where, pray tell, are Chelsea planning on fitting all this talent?
They won’t is the simple answer.
But just who is kept and who is called up is something the club will have to think long and hard about.