Speaking with the official club website (h/t Evening Standard), Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel shared his insights regarding the plans for new signing Cesare Casadei. The young Inter Milan midfielder arrived this summer for a fee around £12.6m.
Casadei becomes the third signing, after Carney Chukwuemeka and Omari Hutchinson, brought specifically to improve the Blues’ youth side. The strategy (named “Vision 2030”) is to have a competent enough youth team, from where players can be used to challenge for first-team spots, as and when needed.
Speaking about Casadei, Tuchel asked the fans to not get too excited and give the 19-year-old time to settle down, learn the language, get to know the Chelsea way and then progress from there.
Here’s the Blues manager sharing insight about the midfielder:
“He’s a box-to-box midfielder, very strong with his head, very physical for his age but at the moment it’s important that he learns the language, he learns what Chelsea is all about and understands the culture and the principles to live and play for Chelsea.”
“Then we will try and bring him to first-team training and open the doors for him. In the end, he needs to step through himself.”
The youngster would get chances to train with the first-team, only when he is tuned up with the principles and ethos of the club. He would train with the first-team and simultaneously be a part of the academy team to work on his game, develop and play the Premier League 2 games.
Casadei did not make a first-team appearance for Inter Milan before coming to Chelsea. Positionally, he is a central midfielder by trade but can play as a lone defensive midfielder or as a wide midfielder. He has also operated as a number 10 for Inter’s youth side.
The Chelsea academy has a great reputation of bringing in players and making them better to fight for first-spots not just at this club, but everywhere around Europe and the world. Neil Bath, the Head of Youth Development, is in charge of giving the right platform for players like Casadei and readying them to play senior football sooner than later.
For the former Inter youngster, he couldn’t have possibly gone to a better academy than Chelsea’s. The history here means that the 19-year-old is in good hands to develop and be a star in years to come. He already has the quality to be just that.
He has already been likened to Frank Lampard – one of the best goal-scoring midfielders to have played in England. No pressure, kid!
Chelsea find themselves in a difficult situation as their skipper, Reece James, continues to recover from a long-standing injury. The…
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has given the green light for French defender Malo Gusto to return following his injury…
The 22-year-old made a top class performance and marked an assist in Chelsea's 3-0 win against West Ham.
Chelsea have been subject to aggressive links with Victor Osimhen over the recently concluded summer transfer window, and the Blues…
Chelsea recently loaned Jadon Sancho on a season long load deal from Manchester United. (with an obligation to buy)
After a disappointing 2023-24 season under Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea wasted no time in parting ways with the Argentine manager. The…