Chelsea have sent a massive 38 players below the age of 23 out on loan to numerous clubs around the globe. Antonio Conte picked out all the academy graduates and the first team players during pre-season integrating the two sets of players and identifying a small few he’ll use this season with the rest sent out on loan to develop and nurture their talents.
Chelsea’s academy team have won five out of the seven FA Youth Cups since 2010, with just a small number of players making the cut to the first team squad. Recent academy graduates include Kurt Zouma, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Chalobah and Dominic Solanke who have all found their way to Conte’s first team squad.
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Former Chelsea graduate and first team player Bertrand Traore has recently criticised the club over their handling of young players claiming there's no progress for young players into the first team squad.
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On loan to Ajax from Chelsea, Traore scored four goals in 16 appearances last season under temporary manager Guus Hiddink for Chelsea and expected to be in Conte’s squad this season.
Traore feels he has developed and matured enough to the bare the mantel of wearing the Chelsea jersey insisting the club needs to pave the way for young players coming out of the academy into the first team squad.
I am ready, says Traore
“I felt, and feel, that I am ready for Chelsea,” said Traore. “I did not see the loan coming and overall picture. Why did I play so much in pre-season?
“Why was I allowed to participate so often under Guus Hiddink [last season]? Why do young players get no real chance at Chelsea?
“It’s good for the composition of the squad if it is also home to a couple of talented youngsters,” he went on to add.
One of 38 players out on loan and desperate to succeed at their parent club, Chelsea, Traore remains confident of a call back to the Blues claiming he is working overtime at present with Ajax and aiming to win trophies with the Dutch club.
Chelsea are placed in fourth and welcome Everton and Ronald Koeman to the Bridge as they look to defend their unbeaten home record against the Toffees. Romelu Lukaku will be making another return to Stamford Bridge and the club he left two seasons ago to cause Chelsea another upset and bring to end a clean sheet run spanning three games in the Premier League.
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