Speaking ahead of Chelsea's tie against West Ham in the EFL Cup, manager Antonio Conte hailed academy graduate Tammy Abraham as the' future' of the Chelsea Football Club.
Chelsea have sent 38 players out on loan this season and the brightest prospect of the lot is a young 19-year-old Tammy Abraham, currently on loan to Bristol City.
Having notched up 11 goals in 17 appearances for Bristol this term, in addition to the two he bagged on his U-21 England debut in October, Tammy Abraham is one of the hottest teenage prospects on the planet.
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Abraham impressed Conte in his first and only meeting with the youngster in Chelsea's pre-season tour of America after which Conte and his staff decided to loan the player out to gain regular first team football and enhance his development as a player.
Abraham has great potential, says Conte
"Abraham is another young player who is the future for Chelsea, for sure," Conte said. "He's very young. I saw him only one week during the preseason in America. Then we decided to send him to play every game and get experience, then come back for us. He has great potential in the technical and physical aspects.”
"I think the academy is working very well. Also in my squad we have Chalobah, Aina, Solanke, Loftus-Cheek. You can see the future and it's good."
Abraham made two league appearances off the bench for Chelsea when Guus Hiddink was in charge.
Chalobah has been the most recent graduate from Chelsea to have made an impression at Stamford Bridge and showed his potential with an audacious back heel to pass to the onrushing Victor Moses, to slot home Chelsea’s third in the victory over defending champions Leicester City.
Conte on youngsters playing against West Ham
Asked if a few youngsters would be given game time ahead of the clash with West Ham at the new London Stadium, Conte didn’t reveal much, “It's important to arrive at the right message - that tomorrow we want to win.”
“Then, if I decide to put in the team some young players, it's only because I trust in these players, not to make a gift to someone. It's important to understand this,” said the Italian manager.
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As Chelsea graduates look to establish themselves, whether at the club or away on loan from the club, the manager at the helm, Antonio Conte is keeping a close watch on his youngsters to bolster his Chelsea squad in the years to come.
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