Top Reasons Chelsea’s Youngest Starting XI in Premier League Is Paving the Way for Future Success
Chelsea has started the 2024-25 season strong, despite consistently fielding the youngest starting XI across the Premier League.
When Todd Boehly and the Clearlake consortium took over Chelsea from Roman Abramovich in 2022, their transfer strategy quickly became apparent. They aimed to secure numerous talented young players on long-term contracts, hoping some would develop into superstars for Chelsea or be sold at a profit.
The agent for David Datro Fofana, one of Chelsea’s young talents, told Norwegian newspaper VG in early 2023 that the club had a “clear plan” for each player’s development. While not every player’s progress would be the same, the long contracts maximize the chances for Chelsea to benefit even from slower-developing players.
RelatedPosts
This approach has attracted criticism. Some question Chelsea’s use of funds, noting that the spending spree has led to the sale of academy players. Others view the talent accumulation as potentially unethical or even harmful to the players.
Chelsea’s strategy also includes a multi-club model, which Boehly confirmed soon after joining, with the goal of providing young players valuable experience within a controlled environment. By June 2023, Chelsea’s ownership had acquired French club Strasbourg, creating their multi-club group.
While controversial in Strasbourg, Chelsea’s youth-centered strategy has reached new levels this season.
Chelsea’s average starting XI age in the league this season is just 23 years, 195 days, putting them on track to break the record for youngest Premier League team in a single season (previously set by Leeds United in 1999-00 with 24 years, 162 days). They’ve fielded lineups younger than this average six times, with the season’s youngest lineup averaging 23 years, 89 days against Newcastle in October.
The 10 youngest starting XIs in the Premier League this season all belong to Chelsea, with Robert Sánchez, aged 26, being the oldest player in the starting lineup during their recent 1-1 draw with Manchester United.
Sánchez isn’t the oldest Chelsea player this season, though—Christopher Nkunku, four days older, and Tosin Adarabioyo, aged 27, have also played. Notably, Chelsea has yet to play any players aged 28 or older, following the summer departures of experienced players like Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech, Romelu Lukaku, Raheem Sterling, and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Interestingly, Chelsea isn’t the team with the youngest starting XI across Europe’s top five leagues this season. Parma named a lineup younger than Chelsea’s in Serie A, while Chelsea’s sister club, Strasbourg, has an even younger average age than Chelsea’s squad.
Strasbourg’s lineups average just 21 years, 322 days this season, with their youngest lineup being 21 years, 243 days, still younger than Chelsea’s youngest. Some Strasbourg fans have criticized this strategy, viewing their club as a “talent farm” for Chelsea. A fan group, Fédération Supporters RCS, recently published an open letter describing their club as “only a training center,” expressing discontent with BlueCo’s youth-focused policy.
Despite these challenges, both Chelsea and Strasbourg have made promising starts to the 2024-25 season. Strasbourg, who has rarely finished in the Ligue 1 top 10, sits ninth after 10 games, while Chelsea is fourth in the Premier League.
While Chelsea’s success with such a young squad remains to be seen, they are laying a foundation that could make them a dominant force in the near future.
Top Reasons Chelsea’s Youngest Starting XI in Premier League Is Paving the Way for Future Success
