It is not uncommon to sit down and watch a major game of football and spot some Chelsea influence, particularly stemming from the club's world-class academy.
Be that players currently within the first-team squad, sold on or let go at an earlier age, the glowing reputation Cobham has forged over the last decade is most reflected in the number of highly considered young talent who started their journey at Chelsea.
This was best summarised during Tuesday night's Nations League game between England and Germany at the Allianz area as the camera slowly panned to the bench behind Gareth Southgate.
READ MORE: Todd Boehly urgent Mason Mount call a worrying reminder of Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea problem
Sat in a row were five players all produced through Cobham from left to right: Tammy Abraham, Reece James, Mason Mount, Marc Guehi and Conor Gallagher. Mount had just come off the pitch, whilst the other four remained unused substitutes on the evening.
Abraham and Guehi were sold permanently last summer to Roma and Crystal Palace, respectively, two decisions that still sting for different reasons. Abraham for the lack of goals within Chelsea's attack as the forward excelled in Serie A and Guehi for the defensive crisis Chelsea finds themselves in now, having to invest in new names this summer.
What this row, along with the likes of Declan Rice, Fikayo Tomori and Jamal Musiala, prove is how valuable Cobham is to Todd Boehly's new ownership, and why entrusting the academy to improve the first-team can not only prove the best route to upgrade Thomas Tuchel's current options but also save tons in transfer fees.
Boehly detailed as much in his opening statement after confirmation of the takeover last week, stating his ambitions with Chelsea in the coming years. "Our vision as owners is clear: we want to make the fans proud," Boehly said.
"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."
Developing the youth squad will be one of the positive legacies left by Roman Abramovich, but the route from Cobham to the first team could be smoother and more appreciated. Cashing in on young talent to effectively fund the record-breaking deal for Romelu Lukaku last year now looks like a massive error.
In a summer where a lot of work needs to be done, it is unrealistic to expect Chelsea to secure all their targets and improve every area. That is where the academy and loan system should come into fill those positions and expand the options for Tuchel.
There is also the reality that Chelsea's academy products promoted since 2019 have proved to be the most consistent in the squad, demonstrated by Mason Mount, who was named the club's player of the season for the second year running. Along with Reece James, who, despite suffering spells out through injury, was still considered one of the top performers.
The breakthrough of Trevoh Chaloabh also gave a great example of how an internal solution can solve a problem the club were initially looking to solve in the transfer market.
Cobham is a unique gift, one that cannot be squandered, and this summer should see a flurry of new faces akin to that of 2019 during the transfer ban that helped Mount, James, Abraham, and Fikayo Tomori all develop greatly.
