The Chelsea fans here in the Transfer Tavern are a likeable bunch, although they have spent the majority of this season drowning their sorrows following a campaign of misery and turmoil.
Chelsea’s legendary boss Jose Mourinho has departed and will be replaced by Italian coach Antonio Conte, who will take over at the club following Euro 2016.
It looks set to be a big summer for Conte too who will need a glut of signings in order to resurrect a flailing club, in desperate need of a boost from somewhere.
Several players also look set to leave with the Blues about to reshape a squad that is in urgent need of some TLC.
Chelsea have been criticised in the past for not allowing their younger performers to shine if they impress with the development squad, which is one area where Conte would do well to improve.
Our writer Lee Clarke took a look at FIVE Chelsea academy players who could make the step up to the first-team next season…..
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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE FIVE CHELSEA ACADEMY STARS!
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Ruben Loftus-Cheek
The 20-year-old has featured for the Chelsea first-team 11 times this season and next season could be his most enjoyable yet.
Loftus-Cheek is undoubtedly a midfielder with lots of potential, and for the sake of his development he will be hoping to feature even more for the team under Antonio Conte.
An eye for a pass and marauding runs forward are Loftus-Cheek’s speciality and he can be a real injection of energy for the Blues’ midfield.
Next season could be Loftus-Cheek’s biggest yet and with a couple of high profile midfielders expected to leave, he could find himself thrown into the spotlight much more often.
Jake Clarke-Salter
The central defender got his first taste of first-team football earlier this season when he came on as a second half substitute in a game against Aston Villa.
Clarke-Salter is highly-rated by coaching staff at Chelsea and incoming boss Antonio Conte could look to run the rule over some youngsters during pre-season.
With John Terry departing Stamford Bridge in the summer, the Blues will be looking for a new central defender and Clarke-Salter could save the club some money should he impress sufficiently.
The 18-year-old has been an important part of the Chelsea team which retained their European youth title and has signed professional terms, which will keep him with the club until 2019.
Tammy Abraham
The striker notched 41 goals for the club’s development squads last season and looks a natural born finisher.
Abraham has been with the Blues since he was seven-years-old and looks set to have a bright future in the game, following a series of blistering displays playing for the development squad.
The youngster signed a professional contract back in October last year and he will stay with the Blues until 2019.
Abraham is another starlet who could get the chance to shine with the Chelsea first-team during pre-season and Conte could look to use him in and around the senior squad next season.
John Swift
The central midfield has spent the 2015/16 season on loan with Sky Bet Championship outfit Brentford, putting in a series of fine performances.
His hard working efforts have gone a long way to showing that he could be a big player for the future and Chelsea could do a lot worse than give him a chance to shine.
Swift has been on several loan spells to the Football League and the natural progression would be for him to now get a chance for the first-team.
The midfielder is out of contract during the summer however fresh terms should be offered to allow the youngster a chance to play first-team football at Stamford Bridge.
Dominic Solanke
The young striker has been with Chelsea since he was seven-years-old and has spent this season on loan with Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem.
During in his stint in Holland he has netted seven goals, which has earned him his first call-up into the England under-21 set up.
Chelsea aren’t possessed with lots of strikers which could prove to be good news for Solanke as he looks to make his first-team debut for the Blues.
The Basingstoke-born hot shot could be set for a call into the first-team squad during the pre-season matches and if he takes his chance, who know what next season could hold for him.
