Why Chelsea should give Ethan Ampadu a chance this season
Cameron Smith
- 29 Jul 2022 11:50 BST
- 5 min read
Ethan Ampadu is reportedly one of the players who remains in the cold at Chelsea as the new season draws closer.
The Evening Standard have reported that Armando Broja and Michy Batshuayi have been given shirt numbers, but the likes of Ampadu, Billy Gilmour and Kenedy remain in the dark, suggesting all three could leave.
The Welshman has worn the number 44 shirt during his time at Chelsea, but he could leave the club this summer with Serie A minnows Spezia reportedly interested in him.
However, Ampadu has impressed in pre-season and was arguably one of Chelsea's best performers in a fairly disappointing trip to the United States.
Ampadu has made just 12 appearances for Chelsea's first-team since arriving from Exeter City in 2017, but this year should be the year to change that if Thomas Tuchel is willing to give him a chance.
The Welshman joined the Stamford Bridge outfit as a fresh-faced 16-year-old and big expectations were placed on his shoulders. After playing 13 times for his boyhood club, Ampadu was snatched up by Chelsea as they looked to add to their impressive roster of young talent.
Following several cup competition appearances in his first two years at Chelsea, Ampadu was loaned to RB Leipzig in 2019. He managed just seven appearances for the club, with three of those coming in the Champions League. One game of note was a stellar performance in the middle of a back three against Tottenham Hotspur under the lights of a midweek European clash.
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But, despite that display Ampadu was never favoured in Germany. A subsequent loan spell at Sheffield United brought little joy as Ampadu featured as a wide centre-back in Chris Wilder's 3-5-2 in their relegation campaign.
Throughout this time, however, he was a Wales regular and a staple in the national team's starting XI.
Fast forward to the present day and Ampadu has developed his game one step further. A one-year loan spell at Venezia during the 2021/22 campaign has seen the Welshman hone his craft in yet another relegation side. A slight worry would be the fact he's yet to prove himself in a dominant team, but his performances for lesser clubs should give him hope of a future in the Chelsea squad.
He played the third-most Serie A minutes in the Venezia squad and despite playing mostly in a defensive midfield role, only Mattia Aramu mustered more than his three league assists.
Furthermore, his defensive stats were off the charts. Ampadu featured in the top two percent of midfielders in Europe's top five leagues for clearances, the top three percent for blocks, the top nine percent for aerials won and the top 20% for both tackles and interceptions. All in all, Ampadu held down the fort at Venezia as best he could.
His form for Venezia, after an encouraging stint at Sheffield United, should provide Tuchel with enough evidence that he's worth keeping in the squad this season.
With Ross Barkley likely leaving in midfield, there's certainly a space for Ampadu, especially given the defensive exodus taking place at Stamford Bridge this summer.
Not only does he have the talent to feature in Chelsea's squad, but he has the versatility to match, and that may even be the deciding factor. Ampadu may not be of starting quality for Chelsea, but he'd be a more than adequate squad player for the 2021 European champions.
Is he a centre-back or is he midfielder?
That question remains unanswered, but it could be one that Tuchel leaves open. With Chelsea losing Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen on free transfers this summer, and Jorginho and N'Golo Kante both with one year left on their contracts, Ampadu's versatility could be of great help.
He's played in both positions at almost equal length for both club and country, and although it could help to figure out his best role, he'd be more valuable to Chelsea as a multi-faceted player.
The Welshman would add defensive bite and steel in a double pivot, which the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mateo Kovacic and even Jorginho and N'Golo Kante lack to an extend, while providing cover in central defence as well, with multiple targets for this position going off the market.
A slight problem could be in the form of fellow youngster Trevoh Chalobah. The Englishman spent the 2020/21 season on loan at Lorient in Ligue 1 before returning to the Chelsea fold last summer. He featured mainly as a midfielder at Lorient, while Tuchel has instead preferred to use him in defence.
Chalobah offers a similar skillset to Ampadu, but at a time in which several areas of the squad are in need of filling, having an extra body to cover would be a sensible idea.
Ampadu could be relied upon to plug the gaps when needed at Chelsea and although Tuchel may not see him as a key player, he could develop into one of the Blues' most valuable assets as a rotation option capable of playing multiple positions. He'd be able to ease the workload on Kovacic, given his injury problems, and Thiago Silva, given his age, and feature heavily in the domestic cup competitions to provide Chelsea with a reliable figure in the squad.
His pre-season form is also an early indicator that he is ready to play for Chelsea's first-team after honing his craft out on loan.
The Wales international could grow into a Champions League quality player, but a squad role for now would be appropriate and he's more than ready for a crack at breaking into the fold.
His quality has been shown over the past 12 months, now it's time for Ampadu to shine at Chelsea. However, for that to happen, Tuchel needs to trust the Welshman with regular minutes, something that may not happen if Wesley Fofana, Benjamin Pavard and Milan Skriniar continue to be pursued.
