Chelsea's incredible XI of players who featured in their youth ranks

Chelsea have top-class youngsters here, there and everywhere in English football and beyond.

While the likes of Reece James and Mason Mount are doing the business in the famous blue jersey right now, the club’s famous loan system is ensuring that other young stars are getting game time elsewhere.

It’s honestly scary to think that the Blues can casually just recall Conor Gallagher and Armando Broja from what have been truly eye-catching seasons out on loan with Crystal Palace and Southampton.

Marry that to Fikayo Tomori and Tammy Abraham both flying high in Serie A having come through the Chelsea academy and you’d be forgiven for getting the feeling that all roads lead back to Stamford Bridge.

In fact, there are so many links to the all-conquering Chelsea academy that we’ve decided to pause for a second and wonder just how many fingerprints their youth system has left all over the modern game.

The answer, in case you’re wondering, is absolutely tonnes with Transfermarkt’s database on the most valuable players to have come through the Chelsea academy making for an incredible list of success stories.

Such was the level of star quality that our imagination got the better of us and we decided to draw up what we consider to be the best XI of current players who have come through Chelsea’s youth system.

It’s impossible to keep track of every single footballer’s youth career, so we’re leaning into Transfermarkt’s records here with any player who came through the system – as opposed to needing to have graduated or made a first-appearance for Chelsea – qualifying for selection.

Got it? Right then, well, prepare to be taken aback by just how much the Chelsea academy has left an impact on English football and beyond by checking out