The Chelsea academy stars looking to break through

What the report says

BBC Sport reports that Chelsea have included seven academy players in a 26-man squad for a pre-season tour under new head coach Xabi Alonso. The squad is training in Australia and is scheduled to face Western Sydney Wanderers and Tottenham. According to the BBC, most of the young players have already been with the senior group during Alonso’s first two weeks, including in behind-closed-doors friendly wins over Crawley Town and Bromley.

The players highlighted are Landon Emenalo, Calvin Diakite, Tayo Subuloye, Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, Reggie Watson, Reggie Walsh and Ryan Kavuma-McQueen. Emenalo, 18, the son of former Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo, is described as one of the standout academy players so far and has been used at left-back. Walsh has already made four senior appearances and, BBC Sport notes, became Chelsea’s youngest player in European competition last season. Kavuma-McQueen is the only specialist attacker from the academy group on the tour, after a productive youth season and England Under-17 appearances.

The report also points to younger prospects being tested early. Nicoll-Jazuli, 16, has played above his age group and was praised by Alonso for his technical and physical qualities. Watson, also 16, is the youngest tourist, while defenders Diakite and Subuloye are noted for leadership qualities in Chelsea’s youth setup.

BBC Sport says some academy players could return to London later in the tour if senior players who were involved at the World Cup rejoin the squad. The tour matters because it gives Chelsea’s emerging players a chance to earn first-team consideration in what the report describes as a talented but potentially crowded senior squad.