Transfer News: Chelsea frontrunners to sign U-16 England starlet

Transfer News: Chelsea frontrunners to land exciting young talent Jamaldeen Jimoh

According to the Sun, Chelsea are currently leading the race for West Bromwich Albion’s youth star Jamaldeen Jimoh. 

Jamaldeen Jimoh is a sensational young midfielder currently playing for the West Brom youth team. The 15-year-old has already impressed at the junior level and could now take a step up and join one of the PL’s big boys.

Chelsea are believed to be eyeing homegrown English youngsters, and their massive recruitment drive has resulted in an interest in Jamaldeen. Even though there is significant competition for the youngster, the Blues currently have the upper hand over other potential suitors. 

Jamaldeen plays for the England Under-16 team and has already created a solid foothold there. The Three Lions U-16 team also includes four other Chelsea youngsters.

A wise move?

Chelsea currently possesses three top midfielders in N’Golo Kanté, Jorginho and Mateo Kovačić. They have become the core of Thomas Tuchel’s team and have helped our team win significant titles in recent years.

But all good things come to an end, and they cannot keep playing forever. Saul Niguez’s loan spell has been underwhelming, to say the least, while Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are back to being ousted from the starting XI picture on a weekly basis.

In such a situation, it is always wise to future-proof the team and in the process, hope to find the next big thing in world football. And with post-Brexit rules putting a stop to PL teams bringing in foreign players until they’re 18, pursuing young homegrown talent comes as a good alternative.

Our Academy is known for producing quality players, with the likes of Mason Mount and Trevoh Chalobah making waves in recent years. It also showcases Tuchel’s willingness to show faith in youngsters and Jamaldeen, if he continues to develop at this trajectory, would surely be given a chance for the first team in the future- granted we do sign him.

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It remains to be seen what comes of this news in the coming months. Having talented youngsters in the youth set-up has been a common feature of Chelsea’s functioning in the past decade and a half. But not until Frank Lampard’s era did we really see the power our academy possesses when it comes to aiding our own first team.