Some positive news is conveyed from the Chelsea academy as talented midfielder Ben Elliot has signed a contract extension with the club. Chelsea’s academy has produced some of the best talents from their academy in recent times. Moreover, many have made it to the first team, cementing their place in the starting eleven. Elliot is considered as one of the hottest prospects and the Chelsea brass will be delighted to have extended him.
Elliot joins a list of Chelsea academy graduates who have committed their long-term future with the club. It is no surprise that another academy player has extended since the club has been blessed with enormous talent coming through the academy. Further, along with Elliot, left-wing back Dylan Williams has also been called back from his loan spell at Derby County.
Chelsea midfielder finally signs extension
Ben Elliot’s extension has brought a sense of calm across the Chelsea administration. This because there were rumors earlier that the 19-year old wanted to leave the club. Moreover, his previous deal was about to end in the summer, and Elliot was free to negotiate a move with other clubs. But as the club’s official website has announced, Elliot is going nowhere. Ben Elliot has penned a new deal till the summer of 2024 with the Blues.
Elliot first started with Chelsea’s Under-8s set-up and since has been with the club. The Chelsea midfielder then joined the Cobham academy at the beginning of the 2019/20 season. Elliot turned professional the same season in November. Since turning pro, Elliot made 36 appearances for the club with the Under-18s and Under-23s. Elliot mostly plays as a defensive mid but can fit into the central midfielder’s role too. This season too he has played 14 games for the club across the Premier League 2, EFL Trophy, UEFA Youth League.
Academy given more stress in recent times
Ben Elliot has signed an extension, and only time will tell whether he carves a career with Chelsea. But certainly, Elliot has stellar examples in front of him to look upon. Mason Mount, Reece James, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Andres Christensen are the most recent players who have come through the Chelsea academy and made it big with the first team. Former manager Frank Lampard has a lion’s share in the players coming through the academy and performing wonders for the club. Lampard took over Chelsea when they were undergoing a transfer ban.
Lampard wasted no time in turning his attention to the academy. He handed a massive 8 academy players their debuts in his first season. Mason Mount stands out the most given the way he is soaring high. Tuchel too has trusted the academy, giving out three debuts this season. Xavier Simons, Jude Soonsup-Bell and Harvey Vale from the academy were handed their debuts against Brentford in the EFL Cup quarter-final. The Chelsea manager invited many more players from the academy for the first-team training ahead of the Crystal Palace game.
There have been hits and flops from the Chelsea academy, and it is now up to Elliot to choose his side. Since Chelsea were eager to extend him, it seems they may consider him as the future first-team player. For now, though, Chelsea could send the midfielder on loan to find some first-team minutes. Along with the Chelsea academy midfielder, many are in line to make it to the first team. Striker Armando Broja and midfielder Conor Gallagher are on-loan at Southampton and Crystal Palace respectively. Both are working wonders for their clubs and are in contention to feature in the Chelsea first-team next season.
