Chelsea had their very own Kobbie Mainoo and sold him for £9m in nightmare transfer

There is an unpleasant irony in the confirmation of Romeo Lavia's season ending before it ever began coming less than 24 hours after Kobbie Mainoo ran the show for England on his senior international debut. For Chelsea, it is a hammer blow and a demonstration of how quickly things can change for two players starting the campaign as teenage talents.

Having spent £58million to sign then-19-year-old Lavia from Southampton last summer, Mauricio Pochettino has been able to call on him for just 30 minutes of football since, and that tiny figure won't be increased. He arrived after pre-season had ended, not taking part in much preparation work with Russell Martin ahead of an anticipated move, which led to the delayed start of his Blues career.

By the first international break there was optimism that he would be around to play come October after getting up to some sort of speed and sharpness. Setback after setback later and his day of reckoning came. Half an hour later, and his debut Blues season was over.

Lavia remains a big player for the future of Chelsea regardless of the manager andthe club now have a duty of care to protect him both physically and mentally from the challenges that these sorts of issues raise. It will not be lost on many that entering the season Lavia was the much bigger prospect out of himself and Mainoo, though.

This is not totally about comparing the two, but ahead of Belgium visiting Wembley and Mainoo making his debut, it isn't outlandish to suggest that the pair would be lining up against each other in other worlds. Chelsea will now have to dust Lavia off to go again whilst Mainoo continues to impress, almost certainly with the chance to enhance his standing now at the Euros in a few months' time.

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