Harvey Vale led the England under-19s to a convincing 3-1 win over the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Euro elite qualifying round, handing Thomas Tuchel food for thought as he plots Chelsea's future endeavours. The 18-year-old threw himself among the action, recording an assist to open the young Three Lions' scoring.
The starlet shared the field with Cobham teammates Bashir Humphreys and Xavier Simons, who featured off the bench in the second half. In January, Vale, who made his senior debut with the west London side against Chesterfield in the FA Cup, gave the Surrey-based academy a glittering account.
His performance sent prospective Chelsea owners a damning reminder of his worth amid concerns regarding his future, with his current contract set to expire at the end of next season. Nevertheless, Vale has emerged as one of Cobham's brightest prospects and has become the centrepiece to the development squad's project.
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As the beginning of a new era at Chelsea beckons, the Blues boss must look to incorporate the midfielder into his plans moving forward. Tuchel's revelled in the potential that Mason Mount, Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic can bring to west London, and Vale should be a part of that conversation.
"It is incredible," said the former Paris Saint-Germain boss, speaking to Chelsea club media about his £171m-rated trio. "There is no substitute for it. It is the best because you can grow so much with these experiences.
"There are many ways to grow, but this is really accelerating the process of their development, and it is good to see that they're ready to take responsibility and step up. It is so good to have them. At their ages, they are far from reaching their top level, and there is so much more to come. We are proud to have them."
In the same breath, Vale, whom Tuchel must look to include, has proven his worth to Chelsea, showing glimpses of magic that have already likened him to Hakim Ziyech. The youngster has made just five appearances for the Blues, but the club must be ready to rely on the bedrock to their success amid such uncertain times.
