Chelsea can jump to another level if 21-year-old Blues star emulates Pedro Neto and Reece James

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It feels so important that Chelsea take their current momentum into next season from day one.

There is definitely a positive feeling around the Blues right now, winning both the Conference League and Club World Cup to perfectly cap off last season, where they also finished fourth in the Premier League.

If the right pieces fall into place, we are optimistic that Enzo Maresca’s side can be a real force across the board next year.

Alan Shearer tips Chelsea to compete for the Premier League next season based off how their young squad looks right now. We genuinely believe they can jump another level if one key thing happens, too.

• READ MORE: Chelsea have now given Enzo Maresca his main target for next season following Club World Cup glory

Romeo Lavia can elevate the Chelsea side to greater heights

For Chelsea to take another leap forward next season, we think Romeo Lavia, 21, needs to be fit and available for the majority of the games.

It’s extremely unfortunate that the Belgian midfielder has had horrid injury luck during his first two years at Stamford Bridge. In fact, he’s only made 23 appearances across all competitions over the course of the two seasons with the Blues.

Back in April, Maresca claimed Lavia makes Chelsea a better team when he’s on the football pitch.

The truth is the youngster is one of the best around, sitting as a deep-lying defensive midfielder, where he breaks up play and screens the backline. Most impressively, his vision, composure, and range of passing allows Chelsea to be so much stronger in possession when he’s at the base of midfield.

Cole Palmer previously raved about Lavia by claiming injuries have hidden how good he actually is, and he expects his teammate to soon be one of the world’s best midfielders.

The 21-year-old defensive midfielder could be the type of game-changer to really progress the Blues next year, especially when you add him into a centre of the park that already includes stars Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez.

Looking ahead to the 2025/26 season, we think Lavia should take real inspiration from two of his Chelsea colleagues.

How Romeo Lavia must emulate Pedro Neto and Reece James

Chelsea duo Pedro Neto and Reece James, both aged 25, have shown you can bounce back from frequent injury problems.

It’s been tough for talented Blues youngster Lavia picking up so many injury interruptions in his senior career to date, but you can find a way past it as your body grows and you get a slice of fortune.

Lavia must be able to lean on teammates Neto and James for support and advice on injury experiences.

As you can see below, Neto and James really enjoyed their 2024/25 campaigns because they both racked up long spells without any problems, something that has been an issue in recent years.

Neto, during his debut year in Chelsea colours, completely exceeded expectations by showing incredible endurance over a long season. The talented winger finished with a healthy return of nine goals and nine assists in his 51 games.

As for Blues captain James, he’s been free of injuries since the beginning of 2025. He makes such a difference when he’s playing, lifting two trophies very recently as the leader of the team.

If Lavia can follow in their footsteps by overcoming his injury problems, Chelsea are good enough to go toe-to-toe with any opposition on any single day.