Chelsea have 'magic' transfer opportunity as $44m dream Christopher Nkunku partner emerges
Chelsea transfer news: The Blues have more than one reason to beat Manchester City to the signing of Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise as Mauricio Pochettino plan emerges
Since Reece James stormed through the Championship in 2018/19, taking the captaincy at Wigan as an 18-year-old loanee on his first venture into senior football, only nine other teenagers have hit 3,000 minutes in a 46-game season in the second division.
James' rise at Chelsea came one year later alongside Mason Mount - one of the other nine - while Trevoh Chalobah graduated from perennial youth loanee to first team player two seasons later. Since then Ian Maatsen is one of five players to achieve such a feat after 2019/20.
He is now competing for a role in Mauricio Pochettino's senior set-up. Other names that jump out are Alex Scott - set for a £25million plus move to the Premier League from Bristol City - and Tottenham midfielder Oliver Skipp, now playing regular top flight games.
A left-footed right-winger, something Chelsea certainly know a lot about having signed four of them in the past 12 months as well as losing development team prospect Tudor Mendel-Idowu on a free and currently owning Hakim Ziyech, Olise is strongly linked to the club.
He is a player that mirrors plenty of Ziyech's positive qualities with a high volume of crosses and take-ons from the right flank. He can cut back onto his wicked left peg and seek out teammates across the park. His defensive abilities are among the best for wingers as well, ranking in the top 15 per cent for tackled, interceptions and blocks on FBREF.
Far from an output machine, there is style and substance to Olise's game which made him the 10th best producer of goals in 2020/21 as an 18-year-old in the
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