Chelsea want Ethan Ampadu to gain more experience at centre-back ahead of a Stamford Bridge return, the Wales international's manager for the new season has revealed.
Ampadu, 21, has gone out on a season-long loan to Italy once again, joining Serie A side Spezia having spent the previous term at Venezia. Whether his best position is in defence or midfield has long been a talking point.
Spezia manager Luca Gotti has now revealed that Chelsea want him to play their versatile loanee at centre-back as they expect him to return to London next year.
“He [will play] on the right of [the back three],” Gotti said about Ampadu’s expected role at Spezia, via Tuttomercatoweb.
“He is not [very tall], but has a strong physicality and the willingness to fight for the ball. Because of these characteristics, he was used as a wild card [at his previous loan club Venezia]. They would put him on the pitch, then choose the other 10 men at Venezia.
“However, Chelsea recommended me to use him [as a centre-back] and the discussions will continue. They think he will return to Chelsea as a centre-back.”
He spent most of his last loan spell playing as a defensive midfielder in Serie A.
Prior to being sent out on loan again, Ampadu impressed during the Blues' pre-season trip to America, with Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel praising his outing at centre-back during the 2-1 win over Club America in Las Vegas.
“Ethan did very well in a good position for him in the middle of a back three,” the manager said after the game. “He plays a lot of vertical passes, he did not play from left to right but only penetrated through the lines of the opponent with his passes and sometimes with his dribbling. He was very active, and it was a good match for him. He also is training very well.”
Ampadu himself has openly said he is confident in his ability to play in three different positions: centre-back, midfield or right wing-back.
“Everybody just wants to be on the pitch and thankfully I feel comfortable playing in more than one position," he said. "I'm more than comfortable playing, whether that’s at centre-back, in midfield or at right wing-back."
His strong ball-playing skills would prove useful in the middle of the back three given Chelsea's tendency to build from the back, while he could be set for a future first-team opportunity given first-choice Thiago Silva is approaching his 38th birthday and may need to manage his workload going forward. Other Chelsea veterans like Cesar Azpilicueta and Kalidou Koulibaly may not be able to play week in, week out, too.
But as for this season, new arrivals Kalidou Koulibaly, Wesley Fofana, and Marc Cucurella - whom Tuchel considers as a left centre-back option - slotting into the squad would have meant Ampadu would likely have had very limited game time at Stamford Bridge this term.
Consistent minutes will be the best thing for Ampadu in the run-up to Wales' historic World Cup appearance in Qatar this winter, with the former Sheffield United loanee bidding to nail down his spot in Rob Page's squad.
He has played a lot of football at centre-back for Wales during the last year, but changed position in the two most recent games over the summer by slotting into a defensive midfield role which surely gave Wales boss Page a long-term decision to ponder given his impressive outings.
