Once Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital had completed their takeover of Chelsea earlier this year, from the outset, making use of the success of the Blues' academy has appeared at the forefront of their thinking.
In the club's official announcement, Boehly made the declaration: "Along with our commitment to developing the youth squad and acquiring the best talent, our plan of action is to invest in the Club for the long-term and build on Chelsea’s remarkable history of success."
Significant investment on buying players in the form of Cesare Casadei and Carney Chukwuemeka were made in addition to the recruitment of the likes of Zak Sturge and Eddie Beach. There was no hiding from the fact that academy chiefs Neil Bath and Jim Fraser were being backed from the outset with the American owners seemingly excited by their vision.
