‘Truly blessed’– Tuchel promotes next Chelsea ‘Virgil van Dijk’ to first-team
Chelsea signed the Dutch defender Xavier Mbuyamba from Barcelona last summer while club legend Frank Lampard was still in charge.
Lampard was said to be preparing to integrate Mbuyamba into his first-team squad but the teenager suffered a serious injury shortly after arriving at Stamford Bridge and was sidelined for most of the 2020-21 season.
However, Xavier Mbuyamba says he is ‘truly blessed’ after being promoted to Chelsea first-team training by Thomas Tuchel.
Mbuyamba reached another stage of his development at Chelsea this week after being called up to first-team training by Tuchel.
‘A moment I’ve been working towards since joining this incredible club,’ the 19-year-old said on Instagram.
‘Truly blessed to be training with the first team this week. Lots to learn and my motivation is on another level right now!’
Mbuyamba has been called up to Chelsea first-team training as many of the club’s starters turn out for their countries during the first international break of the season.
Before the lay-off, European champions Chelsea beat Crystal Palace and Arsenal and drew to Liverpool to take seven points from their first three games of the new campaign.
The Blues return to Premier League action on September 11 against Aston Villa.