Xabi Alonso wasted no time identifying Chelsea’s youth prospects, with Ryan Kavuma-McQueen getting the nod to join up with the first-team squad.
Under Enzo Maresca last season, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen was handled with extreme caution. Despite turning heads with a stunning four-goal display for England’s U17s, the teenager was mostly kept at arm’s length from the senior squad.
He did make the bench for a Champions League night and earned a brief 13-minute cameo in the FA Cup, but he strictly played academy football.
Now, Xabi Alonso’s arrival has completely flipped the script for the 17-year-old.
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Ryan Kavuma-McQueen called up to Chelsea training
According to Daily Mail, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen has been a constant fixture in Chelsea’s first-team training ever since Xabi Alonso took charge of his very first session earlier this month.
Rather than leaving the teenager in the academy ranks, the manager wanted his involvement from day one, but it remains to be seen as to whether he will remain once players from the World Cup return.
As mentioned, with several World Cup stars still absent, academy prospects Olutayo Subuloye, Reggie Watson, and Landon Emenalo joined Kavuma-McQueen to fill the gaps and catch Alonso’s eye.
A first-team place remains unlikely for Kavuma-McQueen
Despite his impressive pre-season involvement, breaking into the first team permanently remains an uphill battle for Kavuma-McQueen.
Chelsea’s squad is already top-heavy with wingers, and the Blues are actively scouring the transfer market for yet another winger, with Alejandro Garnacho expected to leave.
With fierce competition from the likes of Jamie Gittens and Geovany Quenda, the 17-year-old will likely find minutes incredibly hard to come by once the senior stars return.
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