Pochettino called up 14-year-old Chelsea youngster to first team ahead of Crystal Palace clash
One Chelsea youngster has been spotted in first team training ahead of tonight’s Premier League clash against Crystal Palace.
In pictures posted on the club’s official app, 14-year-old Charlie Holland can be seen fighting for possession with midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka.
Supporters who share a deep interest in the academy system at Cobham may remember seeing Holland featuring in training at the back end of last season.
He was called up to feature along the first team off the back of his great success as part of the U14 side, with Frank Lampard being in charge of the club at the time.
It is fair to say that current boss Mauricio Pochettino has not been afraid to integrate some young stars into his first team mix throughout this season.
The likes of Alfie Gilchrist have been at the forefront of this, with him even beginning to feature regularly off the bench this season.
14-year-old Holland spotted in first team training
However, it is rare that a player as young as Holland is given the opportunity to feature alongside players such as Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo in a first team session.
Nevertheless, it perhaps shows just how much faith the club already have in the teenager, with him surely set for big things in the game,
Some supporters will just be pleased to see an academy star continuing to get the backing of the club to this extent in the face of Todd Boehly’s lavish spending on youngsters from world football.
The likes of Kendry Paez, Andrey Santos and Deivid Washington have been brought in for big money in an attempt to pick them up before other elite sides did so.
There is plenty of promise in a lot of these youngsters, with the former already being tipped for big things despite being just 16 years of age.