Chelsea are set to tie down academy star Ryan Kavuma-McQueen to his first professional contract when he turns 17 in January (BBC).
The exciting winger has been on the radar of several top clubs, but the Blues are determined not to repeat the mistake that allowed Rio Ngumoha to join Liverpool last year.
Kavuma-McQueen has been with Chelsea since the age of seven and is now considered one of the most exciting attacking prospects at Cobham.
He has been playing in the Under-21 league against much older opposition and has already trained with Enzo Maresca’s first team.
His performances have caught the attention across Europe, but interest skyrocketed after his recent performance for England’s U21 team.
The 16-year-old bagged four goals to help the Young Lions claim a 7-5 win against Germany in an astonishing 12-goal thriller during the international break.
Chelsea believe he could be a world beater and are doing everything possible to keep him at the club.
Kavuma-McQueen lit up the U18 league, bagging eight goals and three assists in 19 games.
After proving to be too good for that level, he moved up to the U21s and picked up where he left off, scoring four goals and two assists in 11 appearances.
He has already opened his goalscoring account in the new season, notching a goal and an assist in the opening three Premier League 2 games.
With technical director Glenn van der Kraan and head of recruitment Delroy Ebanks overseeing the process, Chelsea are working hard to bring in a new generation of players.
Chelsea have been on a relentless bid to snap up nearly every exciting talent around the world, with Alejandro Garnacho the latest to come in.
However, they’re also working on creating a clear pathway for academy talents.
Chelsea can point to the progress of Reece James, Levi Colwill, Trevoh Chalobah and Josh Acheampong as proof that they still value the talents they develop at youth level.
Under Maresca, the club handed a record eight debuts to academy players last season, strengthening the belief among youngsters that they can rise through the ranks.
