The Chelsea depth chart: What is their succession plan for each position? (2024)

Another week, another teenage signing for Chelsea.

This time it is Marc Guiu, an 18-year-old Barcelona striker who will move to Stamford Bridge on a six-year contract after the €6million (£5.1m/$6.4m at the current exchange rates) buyout clause in his previous deal was triggered. The view is to incorporate Guiu into new head coach Enzo Maresca’s first-team squad immediately, rather than have him play academy football.

Do not expect Chelsea to deviate from their youth-focused recruitment strategy anytime soon.

Co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley have been tasked by owners Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly to target the best young talent in world football, plotting moves as much as four transfer windows in advance and succession planning years ahead.

Chelsea’s goal is to reach a point at which their squad will never again be left short of elite talent in any area, regardless of which individual player is sold or leaves. Sounds great. So, how are things looking on that front?

In the full knowledge that further transfers, this summer and in the windows beyond, are likely to alter the picture, The Athletic takes a closer look…

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Goalkeeper

Chelsea have quantity rather than obvious elite quality here. Robert Sanchez (age 26) is an unconvincing No 1, to the point of losing his place in the team to Djordje Petrovic (24) for the second half of last season. It appears Sanchez will now get a fresh chance to establish himself under Maresca, but Winstanley and Stewart should be on the lookout for a long-term answer.

Gabriel Slonina (20) needs more than his one season of European football experience with eventually-relegated Belgian top-flight side Eupen in 2023-24 before he could be considered a first-team option, and Lucas Bergstrom (21) also requires a lot more professional seasoning after spending most of the past two years out on loan.

Left-back/left wing-back

Most clubs would be happy to have a fit Ben Chilwell (27) as their first-choice on the left side of defence, though that version of the 21-cap England international has become increasingly theoretical over his past two injury-hit seasons. A renaissance from Marc Cucurella (25) has raised hopes he can be a capable alternative, even if he never fully justifies the £63million fee paid for him in 2022.

The sale of 19-year-old Lewis Hall and the anticipated departure of Ian Maatsen, 22, has removed the most obvious succession plans, but Chelsea have at least two academy graduates they hope can grow into serious alternatives over the next two to three years. Ishe Samuels-Smith (18) is closer to doing so than Somto Boniface (18) and has more clarity regarding his contract situation (see contract lengths in the above graphic).

Left centre-back

Chelsea believe they have the two best players aged 23 or younger for this position who aren’t Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol. Levi Colwill (21) is regarded as untouchable and a possible future club captain, but Benoit Badiashile (23) will push him hard for starting minutes under Maresca and has a lot of fans around their Cobham training centre despite relatively erratic form since joining from Monaco in January last year.

Behind them on the depth chart, Bashir Humphreys (21) is talented but has a less clear path to a first-team role after a difficult year on loan at Swansea City in the 2023-24 Championship, English football’s second tier. Samuels-Smith is a strong future option here too, while positionally versatile Harrison Murray-Campbell (17) is looking to build on his positive progress in Chelsea’s development squad.

Right centre-back

The hierarchy here is in flux.

Chelsea would love Wesley Fofana (23) to return to the level of form and fitness that persuaded them to pay £70million for him in the summer of 2022. If he does, this spot could be his for a long time. If he cannot, Axel Disasi (26) offers a serviceable physical presence, while new free-agent signing Tosin Adarabioyo (26) will come in with the advantage of familiarity with Maresca and his stylistic demands, as both have previously been at Manchester City.

Proving people wrong has been a recurring theme for Trevoh Chalobah (24) during his career at Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea are not planning for him to be a key piece.

If a deal is completed for Argentine club Boca Juniors’ prospect Aaron Anselmino, the 19-year-old will become the obvious hope for the future of Chelsea’s defence.

Right-back/right wing-back

How much stronger can you be? Club captain Reece James (24) is one of the world’s best full-backs when fit, but even his prolonged absence last season was not the disaster it might previously have been because Malo Gusto (21) blossomed into an above-average Premier League starter. Keeping them both happy might prove the biggest challenge.

Josh Acheampong (18), who made his Premier League debut off the bench against Tottenham in early May, is highly rated internally at Chelsea as the third option behind James and Gusto. He is a big reason why parent company BlueCo opted to pursue Sport Recife right-back Pedro Lima as a signing for Strasbourg, Chelsea’s French sister club, rather than with a view to an immediate contract at Stamford Bridge.

Defensive midfield

There are up to 115 million reasons why Moises Caicedo (22) should be expected to operate at the base of Chelsea’s midfield for years to come after his huge move last summer from Brighton & Hove Albion.

How the pecking order shakes out after him will depend in part on who Maresca prefers as a No 6 or a No 8, but the Italian’s technical focus is one factor in why Andrey Santos (20) is viewed as a more likely first-team fixture than Lesley Ugochukwu (20), despite the Frenchman being signed for the significantly higher fee of the two in 2023.

Chelsea also have high hopes Ollie Harrison (16), who made the bench for the 1-1 Premier League draw away to Manchester City in February, can continue to make strides in the development squad.

Right midfield/right-winger

Perhaps it is just as well that Chelsea did not sign Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise.

Cole Palmer (22) is the best player at Stamford Bridge after a terrific debut season, and while he can operate as a No 10 or even a false nine, he most often flourished starting on the right wing for then-coach Mauricio Pochettino. Noni Madueke (22) improved over the course of 2023-24, producing his most consistently impactful football in its final months.

Competition in this area of the pitch will grow even more fierce in 2025 with the arrivals of two exceptional South American teenagers: Estevao Willian (17) and Kendry Paez (17) — though the former is primarily seen as a No 10 (see below).

Omari Hutchinson (20) is a prime candidate to be sold in this window to offset further recruitment and while Angelo Gabriel (19) and Diego Moreira (19) are talented enough to change the plan in time, both are most probably development projects undertaken with a view to future sales.

Central midfield

Similar to Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez (23) will be a key part of this Chelsea project for as long as he wants to be.

If he can stay fit after a debut year almost totally lost to injuries, Romeo Lavia (20) will be expected to finally show why such a large investment was made in him last summer. Lavia’s health and success will become even more important if Conor Gallagher (24) is sold in the coming weeks and months.

Chelsea’s most promising development-squad options here are Kiano Dyer (17) and Michael Golding (18), but both are in the final two years of their contracts.

Left midfield/left-winger

Raheem Sterling (29) is the elder statesman of this team, as well as being by far its highest-paid player.

Chelsea would love him to be displaced in the starting XI before his contract expires in June 2027 and the dream scenario would be for Mykhailo Mudryk (23) to be the man to do it, though the Ukrainian remains a frighteningly flawed project.

It is easy to see why Tyrique George (18), the outstanding talent in the development squad, recently extended his contract until the end of the 2026-27 season. Nothing here should scare him.

Central attacking midfield

Christopher Nkunku (26) could be placed in almost any position on Chelsea’s attacking depth chart, but the Frenchman is best deployed as a connecting forward. Carney Chukwuemeka (20) is more of a natural No 10, and hopes are high that he can build on the quality he flashed during an injury-hit 2023-24.

Estevao is the long-term plan here, though. Chelsea believe they have signed potentially the best Brazilian talent since Neymar emerged more than a decade ago, and they aim to give him the room to showcase his dazzling gifts as soon as he arrives at Stamford Bridge next year.

That spectre on the horizon makes the outlook considerably bleaker for others. Cesare Casadei (21) could be sold if the right offer presents itself and it is hard to see a pathway for Leo Castledine (19), who was overlooked by Pochettino throughout last season despite shining for the development squad.

All of this is without considering Omari Kellyman (18), who arrives from Aston Villa with a £19million price tag amid a swirl of PSR controversy.

Striker

Nicolas Jackson (23) is a clear first choice after a fluctuating but ultimately promising debut season. Chelsea want to push him to improve rather than upgrade from him. It is too soon to know if teenager Guiu is the player to do that, but Armando Broja (22) will not be, with a sale likely to gather pace now his Euro 2024 commitments with Albania are over.

David Datro Fofana (21) is another who could be sold for profit, after a relatively productive loan stint at Burnley in the second half of last season.

Deivid Washington (19) looks ready for more first-team opportunities after finding his feet in the development squad, but prolific academy goalscorer Donnell McNeilly (18) might have even more long-term upside if Chelsea can secure his future beyond next summer. Dujuan Richards (18) remains something of a developmental wildcard.

(Top photos: Getty Images)

Liam is a Staff Writer for The Athletic, covering Chelsea. He previously worked for Goal covering the Premier League before becoming the Chelsea correspondent for ESPN in 2015, witnessing the unravelling of Jose Mourinho, the rise and fall of Antonio Conte, the brilliance of Eden Hazard and the madness of Diego Costa. He has also contributed to The Independent and ITV Sport. Follow Liam on Twitter @liam_twomey