Though Chelsea’s first team has had a successful transfer window in terms of solid reinforcements for new manager Enzo Maresca, a concerning trend is unfolding at the Cobham academy.
This summer, a plethora of Chelsea’s finest young talented players have made the move to Premier League rivals, an indication that the club is still falling short in holding on to young talent and creating opportunities for them at the senior level.
This summer, England youth international Ryan McAidoo, who had come through Chelsea’s ranks, representing their Under-18s side last season, agreed to join Manchester City.
That represented a significant blow to Chelsea’s academy, a pattern that was growing then.
The big news story last week was the news of Rio Ngumoha’s exit.
Just 15, unbelievably, Ngumoha trained with Chelsea’s first team but will now continue his development at Liverpool, who have won the race for his signature.
The move is another blow to Chelsea’s efforts to integrate academy players into first-team action.
According to BBC journalist Nizaar Kinsella, another academy prospect showing great promise is now undecided about his future at Chelsea.
Rak-Sakyi’s contract ran out in June, but despite still negotiating with the club, he is claimed to make a move to Leicester City.
Should he eventually join Leicester City, it would be the second development blow for Chelsea’s academy in quick succession.
Also Read: Chelsea Eyes Serbian Defender As £25m Calafiori Alternative
Rak-Sakyi, however, is a man of respect within the club, since he made 49 appearances for Chelsea’s U18 and U21 teams.
He appeared consistently for the club’s Premier League 2 side last time around and was identified as one of the most gifted players within the academy.
What could now potentially leave Chelsea’s academy is a huge outflow of young talent.
There can be no disputing that it has typically been acclaimed as a club with exquisite youth development structures, ones that have also produced England internationals like Marc Guehi and Conor Gallagher.
Both were at the forefront of England’s charge to the final of Euro 2024.
The loss of that tradition of developing homegrown stars would be another big loss for Chelsea.
This is something that the club needs to sort out under Todd Boehly to avoid losing more academy graduates in the future.
A well-laid-out pathway into the first team is necessary for keeping the best products of the academy.
That is part of the identity of this club, and being able to continue in that fashion is important for recruitment and development in years to come.
Though Chelsea’s first team is doing well, the academy has problems requiring a lot of attention.
The unsettled future of Sam Rak-Sakyi adds to the unsettling nature of the departures of Ryan McAidoo and Rio Ngumoha from the academy, all potential youngsters that are putting more squeeze on Chelsea to work harder in retaining and assimilating academy products into the first team.
