Chelsea’s youth-first policy is paying off at Cobham as new names continue to pop up all the time.
Liam Rosenior‘s approach to youth players has been refreshing to see. Already, we have seen Freddy Bernal called up to a Champions League squad, even if he didn’t make the matchday squad.
Reggie Walsh, Jesse Derry and Shim Mheuka have all taken part in training as well.
Where does Josh Acheampong fit in at Chelsea?🤔
Liam Rosenior on Josh Acheampong
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But it’s Estevao Willian who has really set the benchmark for young players at Chelsea this season after joining in the summer.
And there are even more promising players coming through the youth ranks at Cobham.
Landon Emenalo stands out for the Chelsea Under-21s
Chelsea secured a 4-2 win over Southampton to go top of the Premier League 2, and Emenalo played a key role, despite not getting on the scoresheet.
He played with more maturity than pretty much every other player on the pitch, despite being one of the youngest. It was a masterclass in composed, defensive midfield play.
His standout moment came near the half-hour mark when he delivered a perfectly clipped cross from a short corner that nearly found Jesse Derry for a fifth goal.
With an elite pass accuracy of nearly 90% this season and a defensive work rate that saw him win the majority of his duels at Kingsmeadow, the 17-year-old is making a serious case for a senior debut.
Who is the most exciting academy talent at Cobham right now?👀
Let us know of any young players we may have missed…
Chelsea top academy prospect
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Who is Landon Emenalo?
Landon Emenalo, son of former Chelsea director Michael Emenalo, is a Landon Emenalo is a left-footed defensive midfielder
Joining Chelsea as an Under-8, he left the club after two seasons. He then relocated to AS Monaco and re-joined the Blues as an Under-13.
He’s trained with the Chelsea first team before, a clear sign of just how talented the 17-year-old is.
And he’s bossing it at the Under-21 level already.
Even John Terry has tipped Emenalo for a first team appearance.
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