Why Chelsea have the best youth academy in the world

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Chelsea making money from their youth academy is nothing new.

Between 2015 and 2022, they made hundreds of millions of Euros from their academy. And in the summer of 2023 alone, they’ve raised more than €100m selling homegrown players.

But what is it that makes their academy better than other Premier League teams? Why is it so good?

Ryan Baldi writes, Marco Bevilacqua illustrates.

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Chelsea making money from their Youth Academy is nothing new between 2015 and 2022 they made hundreds of millions of Euros from their Academy and in the summer of 2023 alone they raised more than 100 million EUR selling homegrown players but what is it that makes their Academy better than other Premier League teams why is it so good Chelsea began to invest heavily in their youth Department program during the early years of Roman rovi’s ownership the state-of-the-art 140 acre training facility at cbum in Su was opened in 2007 it was constructed at a cost of2 million and houses the club’s men’s and women’s first team and the academy in 2016 Chelsea’s Academy package of facilities coaching and educational provision was graded category 1 the highest distinction under the elite player performance plan the set of rules and guidelines that governs Youth Development within the Premier League and efl but for the the club’s pristine facilities and Elite level coaching to be effective in producing top level professional players they must be combined with a consistent stream of raw talent to be molded and developed and it seems it is the Blue’s Relentless approach to Talent identification and acquisition that sets them apart among English football’s topies they do things quicker than other acms much quicker says Martin Taylor who worked as a scout for Chelsea for 14 years if I recommended a boy to Chelsea they’d have him in and they make a decision if he’s a good player they don’t hang around other clubs will take 3 or 4 weeks Chelsea don’t wait that long it’s a well-oiled machine if there’s a real top player that they find out about they do everything to get him they’re very aggressive in getting players now Epp rules dictate that up until the age of 14 category 1 clubs are restricted to signing players who live within a radius of a 90-minute drive from their Academy in order to expand their permitted catchment Zone Chelsea operate 11 satellite training centers in London and its surrounding areas allowing them to Scout and sign some of the best young players in one of Europe’s richest Talent hot beds what they do they just filter them through says Ian Brewster the father of Sheffield United Striker ran Brewster who spent seven years with Chelsea’s Academy beginning with a brief stint with one of those satellite centers when I spoke to a scout he said you don’t realize how lucky you are because Rian has come in right at the end and he’s got straight in he said to me roughly would’ have gone through 350 to 400 boys now since 2010 Chelsea’s youngsters have twice won the UFA Youth League European youth football’s Champions League equivalent and the fa youth cup an astounding seven times throughout much of that period though Chelsea were criticized for failing to provide a first team pathway for the club’s young stars with many either sold or getting stuck in a cycle of Lone moves with lower division or european sides I defended the academy when there was pressure and doubt and pessimism Michael emano Chelsea’s former director of football told the telegraph in 2019 there was a time when there was a clamor to do more and a manager came in to make a presentation to say that the academy was not necessary the argument was that it takes too long we don’t have time we should use it to make some money here and there and that the owner should stop pumping money into it because it seemed like a waste the nidea for the Academy’s first team productivity came during the single season Stanford Bridge reign of maritzio sari the Italian tactician didn’t give a single debut to a youth player nor reportedly did he ever even attend an Academy training session or an under 23 match a transfer ban and a club Legend returning as a manager with a youth focused philosophy proved the Turning Point Frank lampard’s initial 18-month spell in charge of the Blues delivered little success on the pitch but in the 201920 season with Chelsea unable to buy new players the former England midfielder gave debuts to eight Academy graduates including m Mount and Reese James it was the most debuts given to youth players in a single campaign by any manager in the club’s history Lampard also made Tammy Abraham and FICO tamori who’d previously made only four appearances between them regular starters for the senior side and since then the pipeline has continued to produce for the 2021-22 season Chelsea topped the website training ground gurus Academy productivity rankings a study that evaluates every Academy based on the number of its alumni to have featured within the top four divisions of English football Chelsea have not just been building a team they’ve been building everyone else’s wrote The Guardian journalist Jonathan Lou and the clubs finally calibrated balance between producing players for their own first team and selling young stars for huge sums has continued under the club’s new owner Todd Bley in 2022 a report by the CES football Observatory listed Chelsea as the most profitable Academy in the Premier League with player sales amounting to € 210 million since July 2015 and in July 2023 a study by the PA news agency found that Chelsea Academy products racked up just over 21,000 minutes of playing time in the Premier League the previous season more than any other club ahead of the 2324 season Academy graduates Mason Mount Ruben lofter cheek Ethan Ido Callum Hudson adoi and Lewis Hall were sold for an eye watering combined return of £17 million well James became the club’s first homegrown full-time captain since John Terry and fellow youth team products Connor Gallagher and Levi cwell assumed significant first team roles in their stated vision for 2030 Chelsea reemphasized their commitment to Academy Excellence among their listed goals is the aim to have Academy graduates account for 15% of the team’s Premier League minutes and to make up 25% of the senior Squad I think always the record was fantastic and we again need to reinforce an energized the academy manager maritzio portino said shortly after his appointment first because we believe in them and then because Chelsea was famous for bringing good players from the academy to the first team if you like this video please consider subscribing to the channel the athletic is home to some of the world’s best sports journalists including journalists dedicated to each Premier League team so every fan gets the coverage they deserve not just the big clubs and you can try it for free now for 30 days see the link in the description