Cobham’s brightest: Five U18 stars emerging from Chelsea’s academy

The Chelsea academy have produced several talents, including first team captain Reece James, Manchester City’s Nathan Ake and club legend John Terry.

They continue to produce standout prospects. Here are five U18 players to keep an eye on.

Ollie Harrison

 The 17-year-old defensive midfielder joined Chelsea on a scholarship deal in 2023 before signing his professional contract last summer.

He is comfortable with the ball, has a good passing range and exceptional leadership qualities. He captained the U17s to the Premier League Cup in the 2023/24 season and was the captain of the U18s last season.

Harrison has been named in the first team matchday squad three times.

Landon Emenalo

The defensive midfielder, son of former director Michael Emenalo, started his career at Chelsea before moving to Ligue 1 side Monaco in 2017, but returned two years later.  He signed his professional contract in January.

He is left-footed and known for his passing ability, composure, and versatility, as he can play at left-back and centre-back.

Emenalo was named in the first team matchday squad for the UEFA Conference League match against Legia Warsaw in April.

Ibrahim Rabaj

The 16-year-old Moroccan midfielder joined the club at the U12 level. He is regarded as one of the best talents at the club and has drawn comparisons with icon Lionel Messi due to his flair, goalscoring instinct, and creativity.

Rabaj scored twice on his debut for the U18s last term and is expected to feature more regularly for Hassan Sulaimon’s side next season.

England and Morocco battled for his international commitment, but he has now chosen to represent the North African country.

Chizaram Ezenwata

He joined from Charlton Athletic as a U15 player and quickly made an impact at the club with ‘his sharp footwork and clinical finishing’.

Ezenwata was the top scorer for the U18s in the last campaign and debuted for the U21s against Manchester City in a Premier League 2 fixture in February.

Sol Gordon

He moved to the club at the U-8 level and has progressed through the youth ranks.

Gordon can play anywhere across the midfield and can be deployed as a winger. He is confident in front of goal and ‘enjoys going from box to box and being a reliable team-mate in high-intensity situations’.

He was the top scorer across all competitions for the U18s last term, scoring 15 goals. He signed his first professional contract last November.

The post Cobham’s brightest: Five U18 stars emerging from Chelsea’s academy first appeared on Chelsea News.