Frank Lampard has been an absolute godsend to the Chelsea academy players, giving them all hope that youngsters can finally have a chance of breaking into the Chelsea first team.
There have been a number of debuts this season including one for attacking midfielder Faustino Anjorin last week.
The 18-year old is another one of the academy lads who is highly rated at the club, and Lampard has shown faith enough to use him in the first team squad a few times this season.
He is yet to sign a new extended contract, but as talks have been ongoing over the last few months, The Independent now report that he IS expected to sign a new long term contract with the Club in the next few weeks.
The publication have ran an extensive interview with Anjorin and he sounds like a man that absolutely loves Chelsea, and is fully intent on being there for the long term touching upon his desire to be a leader, something they have lacked over recent seasons.
He said:
“[In the academy] we’re not friends, we’re like brothers. And when we go over to the first team, it’s very welcoming, it’s like a family.
“Having players like Tammy [Abraham] and Mason [Mount], they know what it’s like being a younger player in the academy. They look after you and give you what maybe they never had at my age. Callum [Hudson-Odoi] is only a year above me. It’s relatable, so 100 per cent it makes you more confident knowing the chances are there.
“Just look at Billy Gilmour out there the other day. I’ve played alongside him and seeing him go out like that gives me the confidence to know I can go out there [with the first team] and not be afraid to do what I do.
“I know if I keep working harder I can try and be at their level. I want to try and put myself in the same position that Reece [James] is in now. I want to be scoring, I want to be creating. In five years time, I want to be a leader in the team, helping the younger academy kids to come through, where they can look up to me too and thrive as well.”
