Chelsea travel to face Panathinaikos in the Europa Conference League tonight, looking to make it two wins from two in the competition.
Enzo Maresca’s side will be looking back up the victory against Genk a couple of weeks ago, aiming to strengthen their grip on a place in a knockout position.
The Blues fell to a 2-1 defeat against Liverpool in the Premier League last weekend, with the Italian undoubtedly wanting his outfit to return to winning ways with a bang this evening.
Key first-team players such as Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Levi Colwill and Moises Caicedo have all stayed at home and won’t be involved in the meeting, allowing numerous youth talents to potentially gain valuable first-team and European experience.
However, the match with the Greek side can’t be taken lightly, potentially being punished if they are below the level needed to secure all three points in Europe.
They would’ve certainly had another option at the top end of the pitch had they secured a deal for one player during the summer transfer window.
Jhon Duran’s potential move to Chelsea over the summer
In an attempt to strengthen his forward line, boss Maresca targeted a plethora of attacking options to take his side to the next level during his debut season at the helm.
Names such as Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney were widely linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, especially on deadline day, but no moves materialised, with the pair opting for moves elsewhere.
Jhon Duran was another name that was constantly touted with a transfer to West London, potentially swapping the West Midlands for the capital.
However, Maresca and the hierarchy targeted a swap deal for the 20-year-old Colombian, with midfielder Conor Gallagher going in the other direction, but the Englishman rejected a move to Villa Park and subsequently moved to Atlético Madrid.
Given Duran’s form this season, the club must regret not completing a deal for the striker, scoring off the bench five times in all competitions.
Whilst they may have missed out on a potential deal for him, the Blues may be about to unearth their own version of the super sub in the Conference League clash tonight.
17/08/2024
West Ham
28 minutes
31/08/2024
Leicester City
29 minutes
14/09/2024
Everton
21 minutes
21/09/2024
Wolves
28 minutes
02/10/2024
Bayern Munich
20 minutes
The man who can be Chelsea’s own Duran
17-year-old Chelsea striker Shumaira Mheuka has been named in the travelling squad to face Panathinaikos tonight, looking to make his debut for the club after his impressive run in the academy setup.
After joining from Brighton a couple of years ago, the forward scored ten goals in 17 matches for the U18 side last season – also starring for England’s U17s, scoring six times in ten matches.
He’s subsequently been rewarded with his first professional contract this morning, an indication of the trust and faith shown by the hierarchy to continue his development.
Mheuka could follow in the footsteps of Villa striker Duran, making an impact on the game off the substitutes’ bench in what could be an evening to remember for the youngster.
The Blues prospect also possesses similar qualities to the Colombian talent, able to create an opportunity out of nothing with his explosive pace and dribbling skills – as demonstrated for his country against Spain below.
Hailed as “one of the most talented strikers of his generation in Europe” by scout Jacek Kulig, Mheuka has the Duran-like physical attributes to star in the first team despite his tender age, looking to prove to Maresca that he made the right call by including him in the squad tonight.
Whilst the Blues will undoubtedly want to win the game tonight, it provides an excellent opportunity for some of the academy stars to get their chance in the first-team picture.
Mheuka could be the next in a very long line of Cobham academy stars to make the jump up into the professional game and be a huge success at Stamford Bridge – with tonight the perfect opportunity to introduce himself to the Chelsea faithful.
Maresca could drop Sancho by unleashing Chelsea star who's like Neymar
Maresca must drop Sancho to field Chelsea star who’s like Neymar.
ByConnor HoldenOct 24, 2024