Chelsea, in football’s modern age, have become something of a paradox. The Stamford Bridge club has built a reputation for itself as a stable of young talent, hoovering up some of the best teenagers from around Europe. They recently had to expand their Cobham training academy purely because of the number of boys on their books. Few, if any, however, actually make it to the first team.
Through the loan system, Chelsea cynically use the transfer market to their advantage, signing countless youngsters, farming them out to other clubs before selling them, often for modest fees. But collect enough of those modest fees and you end up with quite a sizeable profit. Most never even come close to the Blues’ senior team.
Jeremie Boga, it was widely assumed, would be another such figure. Signed as a teenager from an amateur team in Marseille, the Ivorian has spent the past two seasons out on loan, first at Rennes, then at Granada. He was a first team member for both clubs, making his international debut for the Ivory Coast in May. Nonetheless, there was seen to be no place for him at Chelsea.
That assumption may no longer be so accurate, though. Brought along by Antonio Conte on Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the Far East, Boga has impressed in friendlies against Arsenal and Bayern Munich. Against the Gunners, he was the Blues’ best player after coming on at half time as a substitute, causing Arsene Wenger’s side all sorts of problems, pressing high up the pitch.
At a time when Conte is seeking to expand the number of options at his disposal ahead of a Champions League campaign, Boga is putting himself in the thoughts of the Italian. Chelsea have one more pre-season game, against Inter Milan, before next month’s Community Shield. Another positive display would surely see Boga make the trip to Wembley.
Of course, Conte has already added to his midfield this summer, with Tiemoué Bakayoko signed from Monaco. Together with N’Golo Kante, he will provide Chelsea will a solid platform for their more attacking players to build on. With those two at the heart of Conte’s side, the Blues will have the physicality to dominate any opposition.
Nobody is suggesting Boga is good enough to displace Bakayoko, but Conte mustn’t write him off as an option. More squad rotation will be required as Chelsea compete on four fronts this season and that’s where the Ivorian could prove his worth. Whether it is in the league, the cup competitions or even the Champions League, Boga looks to be ready for first team action.
Chelsea’s identity as a team is likely to change over the next few months as they settle into life with Alvaro Morata, rather than Diego Costa leading the line. The Blues might fully embrace their character as a counter-attacking outfit, with Morata more comfortable at running the channels than Costa.
Intensity has always been a hallmark of Conte as a coach, but the Italian will likely want his players to press even higher on opponents this season now that they have someone like Morata to play into. This is another area where Boga could prove valuable to the Blues. As he has shown against Arsenal and Bayern Munich over the past week, the Ivorian can be just as irrepressible without the ball as with it.
Six players have already left Stamford Bridge on loan this summer. Boga might have done enough to prevent himself from becoming the seventh. Chelsea should buck their own system to make the most of a player who deserves to stay at the club.
