NEW Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino will likely be delighted when he reads the scouting reviews on six of the membership’s proficient youngsters at the moment starring on the FIFA Below-20 World Cup.
The Blues seem to have hit the jackpot with all 4 of their youth purchases from the opposite facet of the world whereas two extra homegrown prospects have performed starring roles for England’s Younger Lions.
Chelsea ace Harvey Vale has stood out on the Below-20 World Cup for EnglandCredit score: Getty
Lots of Chelsea’s home and European rivals have been amazed by the success fee of their world youth recruitment drive with the membership heading in the right direction to supply half of the staff of the match.
Because it strikes in direction of its conclusion subsequent week, we assess the performances of the Stamford Bridge hopefuls to this point.
Andrey Santos (Brazil) 8/10
The box-to-box midfielder has been glorious in all three of his begins with out fairly placing up the astonishing numbers he did when ending because the joint-top scorer in South America’s qualifying match.
His vary and skill to resolve issues shone via within the decisive Group D recreation towards Nigeria when he made two key passes.
Previous to that, he was a whisker away from scoring and aiding additional targets in Brazil’s 6-0 mauling of the Dominican Republic.
Regardless of being taken off halfway via the second half of that contest, the previous Vasco da Gama starlet has coated nearly 32km throughout the group stage — essentially the most of any Brazil participant.
Gabriel Slonina (USA) 10/10
The previous Chicago Hearth participant has been the excellent goalkeeper within the match with 4 clear sheets from 4 begins for the USA.
And its not as if Slonina, who price Chelsea an preliminary £8.1million price that might rise even increased if performance-based add-ons are achieved, has had a quiet time of it behind a rock-solid defence.
He made a spectacular double save following a nook to stop Fiji taking the lead within the States’ second group recreation and reprised his heroics with one other key diving cease within the early moments of Tuesday’s 4-0 last-16 win over New Zealand when the sport was within the steadiness.
Having already starred on his full worldwide debut earlier this yr, Slonina appears to be like so snug and warranted at this degree that it nearly appears unfair on the strikers he has been dealing with in Argentina, though higher checks are to return.
Cesare Casadei (Italy) 9/10
Lured from Lombardy to London in August 2022 for a price price round £13m, Casadei hit the headlines with a stellar efficiency towards his future Blues team-mate Andrey Santos in Italy’s opening recreation.
The 20-year-old midfielder matched his brace towards Brazil with a double towards the Dominican Republic to ship Italy via to the last-16 the place they’ll face England.
Chelsea can have Brazil starlet Andrey Santos at their disposal subsequent seasonCredit score: AFP
He has been revelling in a hybrid function of each a midfielder and a winger that calls for quite a lot of vitality, however permits him to make devastating late runs into the field to help the forwards.
Casadei has consequently coated an unimaginable 35.6km and made 190 sprints — greater than every other Azzurri participant.
Kendry Paez (Ecuador) 8/10
The Blues sealed a £17m deal for the 16-year-old simply earlier than the match received underway and nothing he has completed to this point has made anybody suppose he is not going to be price that outlay.
Paez turned the youngest participant to attain at an Below-20 World Cup final week when he burst via a spot within the Fiji defence and completed off on the close to publish together with his less-favoured proper foot.
He had nearly completed it within the earlier recreation towards Slovakia, however noticed a snap shot strike the crossbar, having earlier laid on Ecuador’s winner with a elegant first-time cushioned cross.
Paez exudes pure potential in the best way that he can beat an opponent from a standing begin and each cross he made towards the Slovaks reached its goal with unerring accuracy.
He at all times exhibits for the ball, coming from the right-hand facet to intelligently hyperlink play via the center, however opponents will certainly start to double up on him to limit his affect.
Chelsea goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina has impressed between the sticks for USACredit score: Getty
Harvey Vale (England) 8/10
The previous Chelsea academy star captained England to wins over Tunisia and Uruguay earlier than the Younger Lions received the purpose they wanted towards Iraq to make sure they received their group.
The supply of a lot of England’s attacking risk together with his crosses into the field, Vale has produced a mean of ten per recreation in Argentina.
The previous Hull Metropolis loanee whipped in an outstanding centre for Tottenham’s Dane Scarlett to go residence the winner towards Tunisia and he additionally put a gilt-edged likelihood on a plate for Liam Delap towards Iraq in a recreation the place he was denied an excellent solo aim by a superb save.
Bashir Humphreys (England) 7/10
The previous Blues youth staff skipper has been an asset to educate Ian Foster in each assault and defence together with his bullet header getting England off to a flying begin within the crunch conflict with Uruguay.
The 20-year-old gained expertise in Germany’s second tier with Paderborn final season, however might be the furthest away of the six from a senior breakthrough as he is a long way behind first-team left-backs Ben Chilwell and Lewis Corridor.
Humphreys hardly ever dives in, however was caught out barely within the transfer for Uruguay’s equaliser final week.