The youth system of a club reflects the progress made by the club as the number of academy graduates ingrained into the squad make the fans much more happy than buying an expensive foreign import. The joy of seeing John Terry emerge into the International scene and becoming such a legend of the game have immense joy and pride to the people of this great club. Sadly not many could follow his example but the future seems to be bright after a string of talented youngsters are making headlines after winning trophies for the past couple of years.
Conte is a tough man to impress, but the blues have some serious talent that can form the base of the team in the coming years. The likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Bertrand Traore have played well last season and RLC does have a bright future at Stamford Bridge. Just like him, let’s take a look at the three youngsters who can make the jump from the academy to the first team squad next season:
1. Lewis Baker:
The 21 year old who is currently on loan at Vitesse is dubbed as the next big thing from the Chelsea academy. Jose Mourinho even stated that he should be blamed if Baker did not receive a senior England cap under his management which shows how highly he is rated at the club. Baker is a dominating box to box midfielder who has represented England at every age level and has a great passing range and a powerful shooting ability. With Mikel expected to leave, Conte may look up to the youngster to have a bit part role to impress the manager.
2. Nathan Ake:
Ake joined the blues in 2011 and also has made 5 apps for Chelsea, but failed to impress the coaching staff until this season, where he has flourished on loan at Watford and was one of the most important player in Watford’s defense. His best attribute is his versatility as he can play on the flanks and also as a center back and has played at defensive midfield at times. His versatility may give him a chance in the first team squad under Conte and the Dutchman can become a utility player whose playing style is likened to Ruud Gullit.
3. Dominic Solanke:
The 18 year old has huge potential and Conte should use him tightly and avoid letting him on too many loans which can demotivate and he may end up like the once highly rated Chelsea player Patrick Bamford. He is currently on loan at Vitesse and has scored seven goals for the Dutch side. Solanke has represented England at every age level and is primarily a striker, but can also play on the wings. He can hold the ball really well and his positioning is really good. With Falcao and Remy set to be offloaded, Solanke could get the nod to be in the first team squad under Conte who is the youngest Chelsea player to make his debut in a Champions League game.