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A world-class facility, nurturing coaches, and an enviable lineage, Chelsea’s youth system is one of the best in the world.
From Ron and Allan Harris to John Terry, many young footballers have risen through the ranks and gone on to etch their names in the history of the sport. Thomas Tuchel’s jewels, Mason Mount and Reece James, have also come through Chelsea’s famed academy.
Today’s list does not focus on the success stories of the likes of Mount and Terry, players who have made it big for their boyhood club. Instead, it draws attention to promising footballers who have risen through the academy but are shining elsewhere.
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Now, without further ado, let us check out five Chelsea graduates who are thriving away from Stamford Bridge:
#5 Marc Guehi - Crystal Palace
Marc Guehi joined Chelsea’s academy from Cray Wanderers back in 2007. The centre-back did superbly to rise through the youth ranks, emerging as one of the most promising defenders in his age group.
Guehi spent a season and a half on loan at Swansea City in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, producing some impressive performances. Unfortunately, he was still not deemed worthy of becoming a first-teamer at Stamford Bridge.
In the summer of 2021, the Blues reached an agreement with Crystal Palace and sold him for a €23.3 million fee. Under Patrick Vieira, Guehi has become one of the most reliable defenders in the Premier League.
He is quick, confident, and does a great job at keeping himself out of messy situations, thus achieving trifecta dependable defending.
In the 2021-22 campaign, he featured in 36 Premier League games for Palace, scoring twice and providing and assist.
He also played in five FA Cup games, bagging two goals in the domestic cup competition as well.
#4 Jamal Musiala - Bayern Munich
Attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala joined Chelsea’s academy from Southampton’s youth system in March 2011. Over the next eight years, the Blues nurtured his talents, making him one of the most desirable young talents in Europe.
Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich spotted Musiala’s potential and enrolled him in their Under-17 academy in July 2019. Over the next year, he got himself promoted to the Under-19 team before ultimately joining up with the senior side.
Musiala, a versatile attacking midfielder, possesses excellent vision, great close control, and a cracking right foot. Thanks to his ability to step up in big matches, Musiala has become an integral member of the Bavarian giants' first team.
In the 2021-22 season, Musiala featured in 40 games across competitions, recording eight goals and six assists.
Overall, the 19-year-old has managed to play 78 games for Bayern, recording 15 goals and seven assists in all competitions.
He has also already reprsented Germany 13 times despite his tender age.
#3 Tammy Abraham - AS Roma
Chelsea have had a hard time finding a capable goalgetter. They have Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner in their ranks, but neither have managed to impress so far.
Tammy Abraham, the player they sacrificed last summer, on the other hand, produced excellent performances in the 2021-22 campaign for his new employers AS Roma.
Abraham joined Chelsea’s youth academy back in 2004, at the tender age of six. He rose through the ranks and was promoted to Chelsea’s Under-18 team in 2013. The striker then played for the club’s Under-21 and Under-23 sides before being promoted to the senior team in 2017.
Competition for places kept him from cementing his place in the team and he was sent out for two consecutive loan spells, first to Swansea and then Aston Villa.
Between 2019 and 2021, he did play many games for Chelsea, but the club were not convinced with his displays. So, after 30 goals in 82 appearances for the senior team, Abraham left for Roma in the summer of 2021.
In his debut season, the 24-year-old took part in 53 games across competitions, recording 27 goals and five assists and managed to win the first iteration of the UEFA Europa Conference League with the Serie A giants.
Abraham also broke Gerry Hitchens' record (16) for most Serie A goals by an Englishman in a single season and Gabriel Batistuta's record of scoring the most goals across competitions in a debut season for Roma (21).
#2 Fikayo Tomori - AC Milan
Fikayo Tomori joined Chelsea’s youth academy at a very young age of seven in 2005. He gradually rose through the ranks to earn his first-team contract in 2017. Before the start of the 2017-18 campaign, however, the defender was loaned out to Hull City. A season later, he returned to Stamford Bridge only to be sent away again, this time to Derby County.
Upon his return from Derby in 2019, the centre-back had some opportunities to play for the first team, with him making 22 appearances across competitions. Unfortunately, his progress hit a major snag when Thiago Silva moved from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020. He made only four appearances in the 2020-21 season, only one of which came in the Premier League.
Deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea, Tomori was loaned out to AC Milan in January 2021, post which the move was made permanent for €28 million. He settled down effortlessly at Milan and helped them to their first Serie A title in 11 years at the end of the 2021-22 campaign.
Operating at the heart of the Italian giants' defense, Tomori emerged as one of the best players in the 2021-22 Serie A season.
#1 Declan Rice - West Ham United
Aged seven, Declan Rice signed for Chelsea’s youth academy back in 2006. Having spent the next eight years honing his skills at Chelsea, Rice joined West Ham United’s youth academy in 2014 and has been with them since.
Rice, now an integral member of both England and West Ham United, is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. He is composed on the ball, has excellent passing range, and possesses unmatched vision.
Rice also has a knack for finding the back of the net and creating goalscoring opportunities for his teammates.
The 23-year-old, who has two years remaining on his contract with the Hammers, is on the wishlist of many prominent clubs, including Chelsea.
West Ham United coach David Moyes, however, has no intention of letting him leave and has slapped a £150 million-plus price tag on his prized midfielder (via Daily Mail).
Also Read: 5 world-class stars who have rejected Liverpool
