{"id":1242799,"date":"2022-04-07T17:30:21","date_gmt":"2022-04-07T16:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1242799"},"modified":"2026-02-06T16:08:43","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T16:08:43","slug":"chelsea-young-signings-didnt-know-what-do-de-bruyne-salah","status":"publish","type":"cult-corner","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/cult-corner\/chelsea-young-signings-didnt-know-what-do-de-bruyne-salah\/","title":{"rendered":"From the German Messi to KDB: Highly-rated youngsters Chelsea just didn’t know what to do with"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chelsea are currently one of the better clubs in the Premier League for handing meaningful minutes to younger players, both signed from abroad and coming through the academy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Eleven of Chelsea’s 25 players to make a Premier League appearance this season were aged 25 or under at the start of the campaign, with five of those playing at least 1000 minutes. That number would be higher too, but the likes of Ben Chilwell, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Christian Pulisic have had to deal with injury problems keeping them out for long periods.<\/p>\n

Mason Mount is, unsurprisingly, at the top of that group when it comes to minutes played and only a handful of players have been used more in the Premier League this season at Chelsea. And it isn’t just this season, the likes of Reece James, Fikayo Tomori and Tammy Abraham have all had significant minutes at Chelsea in recent years, with the former one of their best players this season.<\/p>\n\n

But that wasn’t always the case. In the past, Chelsea academy products have struggled to break through of course, including Tino Livramento who is thriving at Southampton, but the Blues have also let a handful of promising younger players brought from abroad leave without making too much of an impact.<\/p>\n

Some have come back to bite them as big mistakes, while others have unfortunately continued their London struggles elsewhere.<\/p>\n

We’ve taken a look at a few of those highly-rated younger players that Chelsea signed and just didn’t know what to do.<\/p>\n

Kevin De Bruyne<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Signed from: RC Genk (2012)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fee: \u00a36.8m<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chelsea apps: 9<\/strong><\/p>\n

Current club: Manchester City<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of all the players Chelsea have let go in recent years, Kevin De Bruyne must rank as their biggest regret given the considerable success he has enjoyed away from Stamford Bridge. Or at least in the top two.<\/p>\n

After falling out with Jose Mourinho, the Belgian playmaker\u00a0was allowed to leave permanently to join VFL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga in January 2014.<\/p>\n

A Bundesliga Player of the Year award followed the next season, culminating in a \u00a355m move to Manchester City in 2015.<\/p>\n

Since his move back to England, De Bruyne has established himself as one of the best midfielders in world football, winning a host of awards both personal and collective with his team including three Premier Leagues, five League Cups and one FA Cup. He has also scored five goals in the Premier League against Chelsea, the Blues’ worst record against a former player. Ouch<\/p>\n

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Kevin De Bruyne\u2019s favourite Premier League opponents:<\/p>\n

? Arsenal – 5 goals
? Chelsea – 5 goals<\/p>\n

There\u2019s something about London ? pic.twitter.com\/ctYgy2wWEa<\/a><\/p>\n

— Squawka (@Squawka) January 15, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n