David Luiz has left Chelsea FC for Paris Saint-Germain. His departure has left a big hole in the Chelsea defence, however there are several candidates already within in the club framework that could potentially step up and fill the Brazilian’s place.
Part One provided profiles of Tomáš Kalas and Kurt Zouma.
Part Two aims to give an insight on three more young talents: Kenneth Omeruo, Nathan Aké and Andreas Christensen.
Kenneth Omeruo
Omeruo was plucked from the Standard Liege academy in 2012 and played the 2012-2013 season on loan at ADO Den Haag in the Eredivisie. Equally comfortable at centre-back and right back, 20-year-old Omeruo already has 14 international caps for the Nigerian national team.
He has been a key player for the Super Eagles in the last year, playing in every game in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2013 Confederations Cup. He has been selected in the Nigerian squad for the 2014 World Cup, giving him the opportunity to make an impression on the global stage.
Omeruo spent the second half of the 2013-2014 at Middlesbrough, making 15 appearances in the Championship and adjusting to football in the English leagues. BBC Sport described Omeruo as “level-headed” and WhoScored.com commended his tackling and blocking. The defender has recently signed a new three-year deal with Chelsea, keeping him at the club until 2018.
The World Cup will hopefully provide the youngster with a platform to shine, and take the momentum and confidence back with him to Chelsea.
Nathan Aké
Ake is the candidate most similar to David Luiz. He is a player characterised by his long hair and adeptness in defence and midfield. The Dutchman was voted Chelsea’s Young Player of the Year for the 2012-2013.
Passionate Chelsea fans may already be familiar with Aké, as he made several appearances for the senior team on the way to Europa League victory. The 19-year-old has captained the Netherlands Under-17s and Under-19s and is now a regular for the Under-21s, often featuring at left back. The versatility of the defensive-minded player gives him an edge over his counterparts, but he lacks experience playing top flight football.
Aké will need at least another year of development before he can be considered a first-team regular. I expect him to be loaned out next season, possibly to Vitesse Arnhem (or Chelsea B) in the Eredivisie. A season playing in the Dutch league will allow Aké to refine his trade and specialise on a particular position. Chelsea FC and the Dutch youth national team setup rate the teenager very highly and I believe that he has the potential to succeed for both club and country, provided that his opportunities are not hampered.
Andreas Christensen
Christensen is the probably the least known on this list, yet that hasn’t stopped him from making headlines. Chelsea signed the teenager from Brondby in 2012, beating Barcelona and Manchester United to his signature.
The 18-year-old Danish centre-back has since attracted further interest from Manchester City, after having a brilliant season with the Chelsea Under-18s and Under-21s. The tall, ball-playing defender played an instrumental role in securing the FA Youth Cup and Under-21 Premier League this season. Last month the starlet was reported as wanting to leave Chelsea, due to concerns about his “future and progress”.
Chelsea has an awful record of integrating youth into the first-team, but I hope that the club has learned from past mistakes – such as letting Matić leave. I hope they will make a concerted effort to bring in the likes of Kalas, Zouma, Omeruo, Aké and Christensen.
I sincerely hope that Christensen and the other aforementioned talents do not leave the club because of an apparent failure to incorporate the youth products. Having said that, it worries me when I read reports saying that Chelsea are chasing after Raphaël Varane, Eliaquim Mangala, John Stones and a glut of other defenders.
I truly hope that at least one of Chelsea’s youth products makes the steps to becoming a first-team regular and nullifies the need of always purchasing experienced and expensive footballers. What do you think about David Luiz’s departure to PSG? Do you think that Kalas, Zouma, Omeruo, Aké or Christensen can make an impact at Chelsea?
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