Tim Sherwood claims Chelsea have a player who’s going to be ‘top drawer’ for them

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Tim Sherwood has delivered glowing praise about a 20-year-old Chelsea player for his “incredible” quality on the football pitch.

It’s a very young Chelsea squad that has been assembled by the club across recent transfer windows. As a result, we’re seeing plenty of youngsters get their chance to shine on the biggest stage.

Enzo Maresca, the Blues manager, continues to pick the youngest team in the division week after week, so the fact they’re fifth spot is a positive sign for a group that should only keep improving.

Here is a look at the youngest starting line-ups in the Premier League so far this season, as per Transfermarkt:

• READ MORE: Chelsea are already planning to play 17-year-old as soon as next season

Tim Sherwood amazed by Romeo Lavia

Tim Sherwood has highlighted Chelsea’s Romeo Lavia as a star in the making. He’s been super impressed by what he’s seen from the 20-year-old talent in the Blues midfield recently.

Sherwood said on the Seaman Says podcast: “Lavia for me is going to be top drawer. Top, top class midfield player. I think he’s incredible. Every time he gets the ball he just looks to see where Cole [Palmer] is.”

Lavia, who’s had terrible luck with injuries since his move to Chelsea in the summer of 2023, is finally beginning to show what he can do.

The defensive midfielder has made back-to-back Premier League starts for the Blues for the very first time, impressing against both Newcastle United and Liverpool recently. In fact, Chelsea fans argued Lavia is in the best XI after his Liverpool performance.

Chelsea’s midfield conundrum

If Chelsea continue with this current system, Maresca is going to be forced into leaving a top-quality central midfielder out of his starting XI each match.

We’ve seen recently that Lavia and Moises Caicedo compliment each other superbly well in the centre of the park. However, that’s resulted in Enzo Fernandez dropping down to the bench.

It feels extremely harsh to leave out any of Lavia, Caicedo or Fernandez. It’s refreshing that Maresca is prepared to make these tough decisions, something he’s done frequently during his opening months in the dugout.

It feels like the Lavia-Caicedo axis is the partnership for the league right now, so perhaps Fernandez will have to be patient and keep shining in the cups.