Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has named a large contingent of Academy players in his squad for our UEFA Conference League trip to face Astana tomorrow. Here’s what you need to know about those who have travelled…
There could be as many as five senior debuts for Chelsea in the city of Almaty on Thursday, with a quarter of the 20 players to have made the trip yet to feature for the Blues first team. No less than half of the travelling squad are still teenagers, with the youngest having only recently turned 17.
Let’s get to know them better…
Josh Acheampong
The tall defender has featured as a centre-back, right-back and wing-back in our Academy and has represented England at every level from Under-16s to Under-20s.
Last term, Acheampong combined Under-21s duties with an important role in our Under-18 Premier League southern title victory, as well as making his senior debut off the bench in our home Premier League win over Tottenham.
More recently, he travelled with the senior squad on pre-season last summer and featured for the men’s team again when we beat Barrow in the Carabao Cup.
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The 18-year-old is a threat from either wing and is comfortable cutting inside or hitting the byline to create chances for his team-mates. Having featured for our Under-18s two seasons in a row, he missed a large part of last term due to injury.
However, when Ampah returned, he was one of the stars of our run to the Under-18 Premier League southern title, scoring in the 2-1 win at Southampton which secured the trophy. He also found the net in our Under-21s’ first game of this season against Tottenham after graduating to the older age group.
Kiano Dyer
After joining the Blues from West Bromwich Albion at Under-14s level, Dyer has consistently played above his age group. The lively midfield playmaker featured regularly for our Under-18s while still a schoolboy in 2022/23, and progressed straight to the Under-21s when he went full-time at the end of that campaign.
He remains a near ever-present at that level despite only turning 18 last month and has been an unused substitute on six occasions for the men’s team, most recently in the wins over Gent and Heidenheim in our Conference League campaign.
Tyrique George
The 18-year-old has become a fixture in the squad for these European away trips this season and has more senior involvement than any other Chelsea Academy player in 2024/25.
After playing a key part in our Under-18 Premier League southern title and being an unused sub for the men three times last season, the winger was handed his senior debut off the bench in the Conference League qualifying play-off away at Servette.
George now has five substitute appearances to his name, across the Conference League and Carabao Cup, and made his full debut from the start in the 8-0 home win over Noah.
Max Merrick
The goalkeeper was something of a latecomer, joining the Chelsea Academy from grassroots football following a successful trial at Under-13s level. A strong presence in his box, comfortable coming off his line and playing with the ball at his feet, he spent time on loan in non-league with Hanwell.
Merrick’s first senior involvement was as an unused substitute for an FA Cup tie against Aston Villa in 2023/24 and he has established himself as our Under-21s’ first choice this season.
Shumaira Mheuka
The youngest member of our Academy contingent in Kazakhstan, Mheuka only turned 17 in October and is in his first campaign as a full-time footballer.
The powerful forward became an important member of our Under-18s squad while still a schoolboy last season, scoring 12 goals in 20 appearances, before becoming a regular for our Under-21s this term. He was previously on the bench for the senior side’s European away trips to Panathinaikos and Heidenheim.
Harrison Murray-Campbell
An 18-year-old defender who has been used across the back four by our Academy, Murray-Campbell’s only previous senior involvement came last season, when he was an unused substitute in the 3-2 home win over Leeds United in the FA Cup fifth round.
Comfortable playing out from the back with either foot, Harrison made more appearances than any other player in last season’s Under-18 Premier League southern title triumph, before stepping up to the Under-21s full-time for 2024/25.
Richard Olise
London local Olise, the younger brother of France international Michael, is a modern full-back and wing-back who is happy joining in the attack, usually on the right side.
After being sidelined for long periods of the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, the 20-year-old returned to full fitness for the current campaign and has become an increasingly important figure in Filipe Coelho’s Under-21s side, including a memorable first goal at that level in the 6-0 victory over Fulham.
Samuel Rak-Sakyi
Another Londoner, Rak-Sakyi has been with the Blues since he was eight years old. He became a key part of our Under-18s side during the 2022/23 season, but the following two campaigns were disrupted by injury, despite some impressive performances when available.
However, the 19-year-old has shone for the Under-21s since returning this year and has made two senior appearances off the bench, in the Conference League wins over Noah and Heidenheim.
Harvey Vale
The most experienced member of the Academy group travelling to Kazakhstan, Vale returned to Cobham to captain the Under-21s this season following loan spells with Hull City and Bristol Rovers.
A versatile player who has featured as a forward, midfielder and wing-back in 2024/25, the 21-year-old is our second-highest scorer at that level and his excellent set-piece delivery has provided goals for his team-mates, contributing to four Premier League 2 assists.
Vale’s senior Chelsea debut came as a starter in a 2-0 Carabao Cup win at Brentford in December 2021, and he made a further four substitute appearances in the knockout competitions that season.
Kaiden Wilson
Another arrival from grassroots football, Bristol-native Wilson joined Chelsea as an Under-14. Featuring at centre-back and right-back, he broke into our Under-18s side in 2022/23 and played an important part in claiming the Under-18 Premier League southern title last season.
He also progressed into the Under-21s side in 2023/24, before joining the squad full-time this term. Only one player has made more than Kaiden’s 14 starts in all competitions for our Under-21s so far this season.
