Enzo Maresca Highlights Chelsea Academy Stars While Playfully Downplaying ‘New Rio Ngumoha’
ENZO MARESCA boasts a remarkable talent pool at Stamford Bridge, with three young players from Cobham making significant progress towards first-team opportunities.
After impressing during the international break with England’s youth teams, 16-year-old Ryan Kavuma-McQueen and 17-year-old Shim Mheuka are two forwards that the Italian manager is eager to include in his upcoming lineups.
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Mheuka, who debuted in the Premier League and European competitions for the senior squad last season, netted five goals in three matches for the Young Lions. In contrast, winger Kavuma-McQueen dazzled with a standout four-goal performance against Germany’s under-17 team.
With Cole Palmer and Liam Delap sidelined due to injuries, these emerging talents may find themselves in action sooner than expected, especially with Chelsea set to encounter Lincoln in the Carabao Cup on September 24, as Marc Guiu is also unavailable for this match.
Maresca provided his thoughts on both players during a recent press conference, stating: “They are undoubtedly part of my plans. Shimmy had some game time last season, while Ryan usually plays as a winger.”
“I was very impressed after witnessing him score four goals against Germany; I was already aware of his potential. One of my staff closely monitors the youth team and has spoken highly of his talents.
“It is crucial to exercise patience with young players, as their development can be rapid. Nonetheless, he is someone we are watching closely.”
Kavuma-McQueen holds a strong reputation within the Chelsea youth system, and the club is dedicated to avoiding a repeat of the situation with Rio Ngumoha, who moved to Liverpool in search of first-team chances.
The club successfully turned down overtures from Liverpool and Barcelona, and it will be pleased that Kavuma-McQueen is approaching the signing of his first professional contract on his 17th birthday, which falls on New Year’s Day 2026.
While Maresca expressed admiration for both goal-scoring prospects, he did reveal his favorite among Chelsea’s youth talents.
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The Chelsea head coach is not particularly known for his enthusiasm during press conferences, but when asked about young talent Reggie Walsh, he displayed a genuine smile.
Walsh, 16, has been training with the first team and was part of a record eight young players to gain first-team opportunities last season. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him getting more chances this year as the team copes with injuries to key midfielders.
Liam Delap is sidelined for three months as Enzo Maresca provides a major injury update on Chelsea’s striker
Maresca also commented: “I care about all the academy players, but Reggie stands out as my favorite.
“He has incredible talent, but we must safeguard them as they emerge from the academy.
“Our squad is already the youngest in Premier League history, and last season, we offered many debuts to academy players. But Reggie is taking action actively that I expect from other players, which is why I think so highly of him.”
While the upcoming match against Brentford may come too soon for the Cobham trio, they are likely to appear when Chelsea U21 faces Ipswich next Saturday at Kingsmeadow.
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