Football London
Chelsea’s squad currently has the perfect blend of youth and experience – a combination that helped them clinch their second-ever UEFA Champions League trophy last season.
Young playmaker Mason Mount and Kai Havertz combined to net the only goal during the final whilst experienced stalwarts N’Golo Kante, Antonio Rudiger and Jorginho all delivered solid displays to keep runners-up Manchester City at bay for 90 minutes.
Despite their consistency for the Blues, speculation continues to surround the futures of Rudiger and Kante, with the former’s contract expiring at the end of the season whilst the latter’s current deal lasts until the summer of 2023.
However, even if the seasoned duo were to leave Stamford Bridge, the west Londoners are in safe hands, after a study from CIES football observatory illustrated just how strong their core of young players is.
The study estimated the worth of the ten most valuable under-23 players in the top five leagues per position, with five Chelsea players making the list.
The aforementioned Havertz and Mount were valued at €100million (£85m) and €90m (£76.5m) respectively, making them two of the most valuable playmakers in world football.
Meanwhile, English right-wing-back Reece James would reportedly cost at least €100m (£85m) for any potential buyer, which is little surprise considering he has already notched five goals and five assists in just 11 starts across all competitions this season…
