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Liam Rosenior has revealed he will include two Chelsea academy stars in the first-team squad to face Wrexham on Saturday
Ryan Kavuma-McQueen and Jesse Derry are set to be included in Chelsea's first-team squad for Saturday evening's FA Cup fifth round tie with Wrexham.
Liam Rosenior has been mightily impressed with the academy duo and confirmed to reporters on Friday afternoon that they will be part of the travelling group to north Wales. "Ryan and Jesse will travel with the group, so they'll be part of the squad for Wrexham," said Rosenior.
Rosenior gave Derry his senior debut in the last round of the FA Cup, with the Chelsea academy star coming on in the 77th minute with the Blues cruising by four goals at Hull City. Even in his short time on the pitch, Derry caught the eye in the attacking third.
Sources close to the academy say the 18-year-old, who signed from Crystal Palace last year, has settled in extremely well at Cobham and he is someone with big confidence in his own abilities.
Kavuma-McQueen, meanwhile, has been in Chelsea's academy system much longer than Derry, signing at the age of seven. The 17-year-old is really highly thought of at the west London club and was handed a contract extension back in January.
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Derry and Kavuma-McQueen will travel with the squad, but they are not the only youngsters to have caught Rosenior's eye since his appointment. Reggie Walsh, who was someone Enzo Maresca used four times in the senior side, is another one that has impressed Rosenior, as well as his namesake Reggie Watson.
"I'm very fortunate to have Calum McFarlane on our staff, who has an unbelievable understanding of the academy and the players coming through," explained Rosenior. "I also want to develop players within this academy. So they will be travelling with us.
"Jesse has really impressed me, not just those two, there have been a few that I've got to see in training that we brought up that I am really, really happy with.
"Reggie [Walsh], and Reggie Watson has trained with us a few times and really impressed me, it's scary with the age [16 years old] that he is. Young Mahdi [Nicoll-Jazuli] has been up a few times. He's an outstanding talent as well.
"Ryan's impressed me. There are some outstanding players in the group. We just need to make sure you put them in at the right time and that they get the experience they need to continue their development."
Rosenior has been spotted at a couple of Under-21 matches recently, keeping a close eye on the young talent coming through at Cobham. For the FA Youth Cup defeat to Manchester City last month, Rosenior was in the stands alongside Cole Palmer. Later in February, Rosenior was once again watching on as Chelsea U21s drew with Leeds United, with Palmer and several other first-team squad members in the stands as well.
"They've been amazing," said Rosenior when asked about watching the academy in action. "I was at the FA Youth Cup game. I've seen a few Under-21 games and watched a lot of clips from Calum's time before me, with the group, as well, to get to know the young players.
"There's nothing better than giving a young player who has come through the academy their debut. Go and look at Reece James now, or Trevoh Chalobah, what this club means to them.
"That should always be something you're thinking you want to develop, and this is an outstanding academy that's produced so many incredible players through the years, and we want to continue that and make sure that there is a pathway for those players."
On Palmer and other senior stars watching, Rosenior said: "They decided to do it, which is great because I don't need to encourage it. They take a real interest in football, they're a great group and they want to help young players come through because they were once young players.
"Seeing the likes of not just Cole but other players as well attend the game is a strong benefit to the culture."
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