ไทย
English
中國人
Chelsea's iron grip on youth football in England has loosened considerably. From 2010 to 2018, the Blues' U-18 side appeared in eight of nine FA Youth Cup finals, claiming seven titles.
Cobham produced talent at a rate few academies across Europe could match, so much so that when the club faced a transfer ban at the beginning of Frank Lampard's first managerial tenure in 2019 — stemming from youth recruitment violations — Chelsea refused to crumble.
Two years on, they were crowned European champions. Academy products Mason Mount and Reece James were in the starting lineup for the Champions League final against Manchester City, with Callum Hudson-Odoi and Billy Gilmour among those on the bench.
Throughout the 2020s, the once-celebrated academy has gone through significant restructuring and turbulence, with new ownership steering the club in a different direction. Talent still exists, but many promising players have gone on to flourish elsewhere.
The latest crop of youngsters has reportedly made a strong impression on incoming manager Xabi Alonso, and the World Cup has created an opening for Chelsea's most promising teenagers to shine at the outset of the Spaniard's tenure.
Alonso has included several academy players in his touring squad this summer, and with so many senior figures absent, Chelsea's youth contingent will be heavily relied upon during preseason.
Here are five youngsters who could enjoy breakout campaigns under Alonso's Chelsea in 2026–27.
Olutayo Subuloye
Chelsea already possess a potential defensive superstar in Josh Acheampong, and similarly lofty expectations surround 18-year-old Olutayo Subuloye, one of seven academy players to have joined the first team on tour.
Subuloye put pen to paper on his first professional deal in 2024 and was handed the U-18 captaincy for the 2025–26 season, guiding his side to the national championship.
A commanding center back who performs well beyond his age, Subuloye already demonstrates the composure needed to thrive at senior level. Those close to Chelsea's academy have praised the defender's athleticism and his calmness in possession.
The Blues have developed the likes of Fikayo Tomori, Marc Guéhi, and Trevoh Chalobah in recent seasons, demonstrating a clear ability to produce center backs capable of excelling at the top level.
Madhi Nicoll-Jazuli
Arsenal's Max Dowman has given fresh meaning to the phrase "if you're good enough, you're old enough," and Alonso should feel no hesitation about 16-year-old Madhi Nicoll-Jazuli.
The midfielder pledged his future to Chelsea this summer despite interest from top European clubs, and is set to sign a professional contract when he reaches 17 this coming January.
Nicoll-Jazuli has been part of the Chelsea setup since the age of eight, and at 15, became the club's youngest-ever starter in the UEFA Youth League. Expectations are sky-high for the teenager, who played a pivotal role in the U-18s' triumph last season and rarely looks out of his depth when featuring for the U-21s.
Crucially, Nicoll-Jazuli is physically imposing, able to hold his ground under pressure and carry the ball forward with purpose. As one would expect of any standout youth talent, the 16-year-old is versatile across multiple positions, often playing with the confidence of someone who knows he belongs at a higher level.
Expect him to earn at least a couple of opportunities in the domestic cup competitions.
Reggie Watson
Reggie Watson and Nicoll-Jazuli are the two 16-year-olds on Chelsea's preseason tour, with the latter returning to his hometown of Sydney.
Watson, by contrast, is a London native, having grown up in Bromley.
Alonso's predecessor Liam Rosenior was a vocal admirer of the midfielder, calling Watson's ability "scary" for someone his age. However, he subsequently suffered an injury in April that ruled him out for the rest of the campaign.
He has since made a full recovery and appears to have caught Alonso's eye — the manager wouldn't have brought him to Australia without believing he was ready. Watson is another recent scholar, having agreed terms in July, and fans are hopeful the 16-year-old could eventually become a cornerstone of Chelsea's midfield.
Watson is far more than just a midfield organizer. His striking of the ball is exceptionally clean, and some would even go as far as labeling him a set-piece specialist.
Ryan Kavuma-McQueen
It comes as little surprise that Alonso has taken a shine to 17-year-old winger Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, who made his senior bow in Chelsea's commanding FA Cup quarterfinal win over Port Vale back in April.
The Blues have let talents like Rio Ngumoha and Ryan McAidoo slip through their fingers in recent years, and have just offloaded slightly older Cobham graduate Tyrique George to Everton. They cannot afford to repeat that pattern with Kavuma-McQueen, who clearly has the potential to contribute at first-team level.
Goal-scoring wide players are a rare commodity, but Kavuma-McQueen could be one of them. He netted 13 times in 27 appearances across all competitions last season and scored twice in the U-18s' 5–1 demolition of Man City in the National Championship final.
With Geovany Quenda sidelined through injury, the 17-year-old is well-positioned to make his mark during preseason and force his way into Alonso's plans.
Omari Kellyman
Twenty-year-old attacking midfielder Omari Kellyman did not come through the club's own academy, having joined Chelsea from Aston Villa in 2024.
He has since completed a loan stint in League One with Cardiff City, netting 11 goals in the third tier for a Bluebirds side that won immediate promotion back to the Championship.
Kellyman carries more experience than the Cobham-bred youngsters mentioned above and, on paper, stands a greater chance of featuring for Alonso's first team in 2026–27. That said, another loan spell in the EFL remains a realistic possibility.
Chelsea's preseason tour is likely to prove decisive in shaping what lies ahead for the former Villa man.