The 11 academy kids Chelsea let go in the summer – & how they’re faring elsewhere

Chelsea arguably produces more talented footballers than any club in English football right now, with a number of their academy graduates shining elsewhere a testament to their Cobham production line.

Over the summer, the Blues let 11 youth prospects leave the club – either released or sold for a fee. But could they be made to regret those decisions? We’ve checked in on the prospects that Chelsea let go ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

Note: we’re only including players who made 10 or fewer first-team appearances for Chelsea here, so not including established academy graduates such as Conor Gallagher, Lewis Hall and Ian Maatsen. You’ll find those here.

Dion Rankine

A regular at Premier League 2 level for Chelsea, Rankine couldn’t find a route into the first-team and left the club this summer following a season-long loan at Exeter.

He signed permanently for League One Wigan Athletic and has immediately found a more regular place in senior football in doing so. The winger has made 19 appearances in all competitions, scoring once.

Charlie Webster

Webster joined Chelsea at under-10 level and went all the way through with the club despite interest from abroad, even making The Guardian’s list of ‘Next Generation’ footballers in 2020.

Unfortunately, he never made a first-team appearance for the Blues and left to sign for Burton Albion on a permanent deal this summer. It’s been a productive start, with two goals and an assist from just nine games in all competitions. There’s clearly a big talent there.

Josh Brooking

Born in Reading, Brooking spent the majority of his career with hometown club Reading before joining Chelsea in 2018.

A defender by trade, he signed professional terms in 2020 and was a regular at Premier League 2 level, but never got near the first-team and left this summer upon the expiry of his contract.

Brooking has now dropped out of the Football League, signing for National League South side Dorking Wanderers. They’ve started the season strongly and are currently locked in a promotion race, seven points off the top of the table.

Noah Hay

Still only 18, Hay struggled massively for regular game time in the last few years due to consistent injury struggles and was released this summer.

The right-back remains without a club at the time of writing. Here’s hoping he can enjoy some better fortune with his fitness and get back into the game.

Chinonso Chibueze

Another 18-year-old, Chibueze only signed professional terms at Chelsea 18 months ago and still had time left on his deal, but opted for a fresh start this summer.

He swapped Stamford Bridge for Stoke and has slotted into the Potters’ under-21 side to begin with and made the matchday squad in September as they lost to Hull, but is yet to make a senior debut.

We imagine it might come before the end of the season, however. Watch this space.

Michael Golding

Seemingly on the cusp of a first-team breakthrough in 2023-24, Golding used his experience rubbing shoulders with the seniors despite being a teenager as a platform to take a leap and try to progress his career.

He signed for Leicester in the summer and has so far been a regular at under-21 level while he gets used to his new surroundings. With the Foxes struggling, however, and a new manager on the way in, Golding will fancy his chances of breaking into their midfield before the season is over.

READ NEXT: 9 Chelsea academy graduates thriving away from Stamford Bridge in 2024-25

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Mason Burstow

The forward spent two years on Chelsea’s books after breaking through at League One Charlton. Prolific at Under-21 level for the Blues, he went on to make three appearances – two in the Premier League – for the first team last term.

But really breaking through, given the squad depth at Enzo Maresca’s disposal, always looked a tall order and he was sold for an undisclosed fee to Hull City in the summer.

He’s yet to score or assist in eight Championship appearances for the struggling Tigers, but the majority of those have been off the bench with a grand total of just 190 minutes played. Still early days.

Billy Gee

Another youth player sold to a Championship club for an undisclosed fee, midfield man Gee is continuing his development at Norwich City.

The 19-year-old still awaits his senior debut, having so far only turned out for the Canaries’ Under-21s in the Premier League 2. Results so far this season include a 5-3 defeat to Manchester United, a 3-0 defeat to Sunderland and a 5-0 defeat to Manchester City. Ouch.

Saheed Olagunju

Greenwich-born centre-back Olagunju doesn’t turn 18 until January and may still be some way off a senior breakthrough, but for now he’s honing his craft at Wolverhampton Wanderers after making the switch from Cobham in the summer.

So far this season he’s only made one brief substitute appearance for Wolves’ Under-21s in the Premier League 2.

Omari Hutchinson

The big one. It was something of a coup when Chelsea landed Hutchinson’s signature a couple of years back, given he was one of the most hyped young footballers in the country at Arsenal.

The attacker briefly developed his skills at Cobham and made one league appearance for the Blues, but he spent most of his time on the club’s books out on loan at Ipswich Town, helping them get promoted last term.

The Tractor Boys have since taken him in permanently, signing him for a £20million fee. He already looks at home in the Premier League and opened his account in Sunday’s impressively hard-fought 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town.

QUIZ: Can you name every player to make one Premier League appearance for Chelsea?

Jamie Cumming

If “academy graduate” is pushing it for Hutchinson, “kid” is pushing it for Cumming – who finally left his boyhood club at the age of 25 in the summer.

Like Hutchinson, Cumming enjoyed a promotion-winning loan campaign and has joined said club, Oxford United, permanently. He’s been a regular between the sticks in the Championship this season.

Cumming was hit for six in Oxford’s heavy defeat at Middlesbrough on the weekend, but he’s largely been solid and has helped keep clean sheets against Burnley and Hull.