Cobham Rising: 6 Chelsea Breakthrough Kids to Look Out For in 2025/26

Chelsea continue to push boundaries and write headlines in the transfer market, but alongside their aggressive recruitment drive, the Blues are still setting the standard for home-grown player production in England.

Levi Colwill, Trevoh Chalobah, and Reece James are already flying the flag for the academy at first-team level, however, the next batch of starlets are ready to roll off the Cobham production line.

There’s a pathway and a trajectory to follow here. If the usual Chelsea script holds, the next set of academy graduates won’t just break through, they’ll define an era for the club.

Below, we’ve taken a closer look at six potential breakout kids to follow in 2025/26.

Tyrique George

Tyrique George has already enjoyed his breakout campaign last term, however, after a year of first-team exposure, the talented winger could be set for a more prominent role this season.

George stormed onto the scene via the UEFA Conference League and saw action in 12 matches in the competition, scoring once and assisting twice during the club’s successful trophy bid on the continent.

The 19-year-old also made his first forays into Premier League life, earning minutes while looking comfortable in elite surroundings. His goal against Fulham was a milestone, while his impactful displays during Chelsea’s against-the-odds Club World Cup win over the summer felt like another major leap forward for the teen.

There have been some worrying murmurs of discontent of late, with rumours suggesting George favours a move away from Chelsea. However, Enzo Maresca seems to trust him and the promising attacker could still choose to stay in West London.

Reggie Walsh

Reggie Walsh made history in May when he became the youngest ever player to start for Chelsea in a European competition, featuring in a game against Djurgardens at the age of just 16 years and 200 days.

His inclusion highlighted his promise and was an indication of just how highly he is rated by those in the know at Chelsea.

Silky midfielder Walsh has been on the Blues’ books since the age of seven and though he doesn’t turn 17 until October, there is a chance that he could be fast-tracked towards the first-team picture more often this season.

Calm, confident and technically refined, Walsh is classy enough to set the tempo in midfield while many of his peers study for their GCSEs.

Shumaira ‘Shim’ Mheuka

Before Reggie Walsh set a new record, Shumaira Mheuka had entered the annals as the youngest ever Chelsea player to start a continental fixture when the talented forward was chosen to play against Copenhagen in the Conference League in March.

An attacker with a blend of excellent attributes, Mheuka combines quick touches and intelligent movement with clinical finishing. Earmarked for a first-team berth in the future, the youngster made his Premier League debut against Southampton in February, and he could get more glimpses of first-team involvement in 2025/26.

Sam Rak-Sakyi

Then there’s Sam Rak-Sakyi, the academy’s most ‘valuable’ midfielder, both literally and figuratively. Steeped in Chelsea’s famed youth-team schooling, Rak-Sakyi has been attached to the club since the tender age of 8 and has risen rapidly up the ranks since.

He cut his teeth with a handful of senior outings last season, mainly in the Conference League, and now at the more mature age of 20, he looks ready to perform in the more pressurised Premier League environment.

Competition for places in Chelsea’s midfield is stiff, though Rak-Sakyi could be in line for appearances in 2025/26 if Enzo Fernandez or Moises Caicedo are sidelined for any reason.

Josh Acheampong

Bookmakers and betting sites with free bonuses have been slashing the odds and transfer market prices for a number of defenders who have been linked with moves to Chelsea, though Josh Acheampong could provide an in-house solution to the Blues’ personnel issues at the back.

The versatile defender, who can be deployed at right and centre back, racked up 14 senior appearances last season across the Premier League, League Cup and Conference League, and never looked out of place when called upon.

With Levi Colwill in the treatment room, Wesley Fofana struggling for fitness and Reece James still plagued by rotten injury luck, Acheampong looks well positioned to earn plenty of minutes during the 2025/26 campaign.

Harrison Murray-Campbell

A tower of promise at 6’2”, Luton-born England U19 regular Harrison Murray-Campbell is the type of defender that Blues followers love.

He is strong and aggressive but rounds out his profile with composure and an eye for a pass, and the 19-year-old, who performs with the echoes of a young John Terry, has the right attributes to fill any gap that arises at the heart of Chelsea’s defence this season.

Murray- Campbell has played more than 80 times for Chelsea’s academy teams and he was handed a first-team debut against Shamrock Rovers in the Conference League in December last year.

Chosen to captain Chelsea’s youth team and to skipper England, it’s clear that Murray-Campbell has excellent leadership qualities and with some patience, he could be another Cobham success story.