Ranking top 5 Chelsea academy graduates of the last decade
The Chelsea academy has been one of the best in Europe in recent years, with the club's youth teams challenging for trophies in both England and Europe. It has produced a lot of talent in the last decade.
Chelsea's academy grew in stature after Roman Abramovich took over the club in 2003. But it wasn't until the last decade or so that the academy started to produce some really promising players.
The club is infamous for sending talented youngsters out on loan before selling them without giving them an opportunity to make the first team. Only a few of these youngsters have gone on to succeed at the club or elsewhere in Europe. Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Nathan Ake are some of the names that come to mind in this regard.
On that note, here's a look at the top five Chelsea graduates in the last decade. Without further ado, let's get started:
#5 Ryan Bertrand
Ryan Bertrand famously made his debut in the 2012 Champions League final against Bayern Munich, becoming the first player to make his competition debut in the final. But things didn't quite work out for the Chelsea academy graduate at the club after that.
Bertrand had joined the Chelsea academy at the age of 15 and went on to feature 57 times for the Blues. He was one of the very few players from the Chelsea academy who got more than a sniff of first-team action.
The pinnacle of his Chelsea career was certainly that night in Munich, where he surprisingly started as a defensive left wing in an injury-hit team, keeping the likes of Arjen Robben at bay during his 73 minutes on the pitch. His performance helped Chelsea beat Bayern Munich on penalties to clinch their maiden Champions League title.
Bertrand went on to make 38 appearances the next season as Chelsea secured the Europa League trophy as well.
But the arrival of Jose Mourinho put a halt to Bertrand's Chelsea career. He was deemed surplus to requirements by the Portuguese and was subsequently sent on loan to Aston Villa before he joined Southampton on a permanent deal in 2014.
The Chelsea academy graduate became one of the finest Premier League full-backs on the South Coast, making 240 appearances for the Saints. He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year in the 2014-15 campaign.
The 32-year-old has now joined Leicester City on a free transfer, ending his stay at Southampton after seven seasons.
#4 Nathan Ake
Nathan Ake joined Chelsea's academy in 2011 from Feyenoord at the age of 15. He was subsequently developed by the academy, also helping the club's youth teams to an FA Cup and Under-21 Premier League title.
Chelsea's interim boss Rafael Benitez handed Ake his senior debut at the age of 17, when he was brought on for a late cameo against Norwich City in 2012. Benitez also handed Ake starts in the League Cup, the Europa League and on the final day of the 2012-13 season.
But again, as it happened with Bertrand, Mourinho's arrival meant the Chelsea academy graduate was sparingly used. He was sent on a short loan to Reading in 2015 before going on his first full loan the next season to Watford.
He was sent on loan again to Bournemouth the next season, where he impressed and became a key member of the starting XI. That was enough to earn him a recall in January, but he was again used sparingly by the then Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.
Ake was permanently sold to Bournemouth in 2017 for £20 million, where he once again became an integral part of the side. The former Chelsea academy graduate made 109 appearances for the Cherries before moving to Manchester City in the summer of 2020 for a reported fee of £41 million.
The Dutch international has had an injury-hit first season at City, falling down the pecking order, which has led to speculation about his future being away from the club.