Chelsea future looks bright as record-breaking Reggie Walsh makes statement | OneFootball

Conference League stint has allowed Enzo Maresca to blood the next Blues generation, led by 16-year-old midfielder

Walsh had started for Chelsea in midfield at just 16 years and 200 days old, a week on from the Conference League semi-final first leg against Djurgarden where he made his senior debut off the bench.

At Stamford Bridge, Walsh became the youngest Englishman ever to start a match in European competition for any side, and the broad grin painted across his face as he took selfies with fans at full-time told of the fact that he had grabbed his chance to impress with both hands.

“The most important thing for him is that he continues to study,” said Maresca afterwards, stopping short of reminding the teenager that it was well past his bedtime. “I’ve asked him now, tomorrow he has to go to school. It’s important for him. He has to continue with that. But, for sure, he’s a good player.”

After a 5am arrival back in London after last week’s first leg, Walsh was in school the following day at noon. He is back in again today, too, his GCSEs only just getting going but his first test passed as he played his part in Chelsea’s quest to reach the Conference League final.

There was real excitement once Chelsea’s starting lineup was published and Walsh’s name listed. In a pitchside interview with TNT Sports before the match, Maresca joked with pundit and ex-Chelsea star Joe Cole: “He’s almost got your quality.”

Cole went on to praise the 16-year-old’s “very comfortable” performance, noting how he was the most fouled player on the pitch during his 90-minute showing. It has been a dizzying rise for Chelsea’s No81, whose Under-18s debut only came earlier this season.

Maresca beamed as the first question about Walsh was being posed at his post-match press conference.

“What did you think; you like him?” Maresca smiled proudly. “Good, eh? I like Reggie a lot. I love Reggie, because he’s the kind of player where my system and the way we want to play is perfect.

“He’s 16. One Six. 16! And you saw he was asking for the ball, how good he was on the ball.

Walsh grew into the game, as expected, always offering for the ball and linking up with Jadon Sancho to good effect. Both Sancho and Tyrique George could be seen placing arms on Walsh's shoulders by way of encouragement as he scoped out his surreal surroundings in the first half.

Late in the game, his confidence sky-high, he even unleashed a shot from range. It flew over the bar but prompted applause anyway from plenty of Chelsea fans, who could see the youngster was not frightened to take risks.

“I’ve seen him in training lots, but training and games are different,” said Reece James. “This is the first time I’ve seen him play in a game and I was like f*****g h**l, I didn’t realise how good he actually was.”

The Conference League could provide Maresca with his first piece of silverware at Chelsea. But even if it doesn’t, and the Blues are beaten by Real Betis in the final, the competition has been extremely helpful for blooding the Blues’ next generation.

There were five teenagers who finished Thursday night’s 1-0 win over Djurgarden: a 16-year-old, two 17-year-olds and two 19-year-olds.

“We finished [the game] with Reggie [born in] ’08, Shim [Mheuka] and Genesis [Antwi] ’07, and Josh [Acheampong] and Tyrique [George] ’06,” Maresca said. “It’s second team; it’s not even first team.

“So it’s fantastic for the academy, it’s fantastic for Chelsea, it’s fantastic for the fans. The future can be important. It’s a good feeling.”