The 7 best former Chelsea academy players that have been sold on - and whether it was the right choice

Here are some of the biggest academy stars that Chelsea have offloaded and whether we think it was the right decision to sell up.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Despite up-and-down form in recent years, one thing Chelsea definitely do right is their academy.

The Blues have easily got one of the best academies in the Premier League and can back it up with the lengthy list of stars they have produced.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Over the years we have seen the likes of John Terry, Reece James and Mason Mount break into the first team and make their mark on the Premier League, becoming some of the top tier’s best and having a huge impact on the Chelsea first team.

However, while the London club are known for producing some of the brightest young talent, in recent years they have also become familiar with offloading these exciting prospects before they are given much of a chance.

This summer could see both Armando Broja and Levi Colwill depart Stamford Bridge following successful loan spells last season for the pair.

Fans have expressed their disappointment at the possibility of selling the duo, especially after the latter was named in the top 50 best emerging wonderkids in world football by NXGN 2022.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

While Chelsea keep hold of some, they are also selling on some potential future stars just to cash in and supporters are left wondering what if?

Today we take a look at nine of the best Chelsea academy products that they have sold on and whether it was the right decision...

Nathan Ake

Nathan Ake joined Chelsea’s academy from Feyenoord when he was 15 and went onto make his debut only two years later.

The Dutchman looked very promising in the early years at Stamford Bridge and continued to make a handful of appearances at a young age, signing a new five-year contract in 2013.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, Ake’s time with the London club didn’t really progress from there as he went onto enjoy three different loan spells with Reading, Watford and Bournemouth.

While the defender had looked like a rising star when he joined Chelsea, competing with the likes of Gary Cahill, John Terry and Cesar Azpilicueta for much of his time with the club made his first team appearances very limited and he soon joined Bournemouth permanently.

Ake was hugely successful with the Cherries and when he earned himself a £41 million move to Manchester City, there may have been a hint of regret within the Blues.

However, Ake once again struggled to solidify his spot in the starting line-up and has only recently begun to excel at the Eithad Stadium.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Despite failing to displace Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias, he particularly impressed last season and it led to Chelsea looking to re-sign him this summer.

While he is probably capable of playing for Thomas Tuchel’s side now, it is unlikely that they have missed out on his presence since his departure for the last five years.

Was it the right decision to sell? YES.

Dominic Solanke

Dominic Solanke was only seven years old when he joined Chelsea’s academy and he went onto become one of the most exciting young prospects.

During the 2013-14 season, the striker scored an impressive 20 goals in 25 appearances for the U18 team and earned himself his first professional contract.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He went onto bag a whopping 41 goals in the following season and was awarded the inaugural Chelsea Academy Player of the Year.

Solanke also shone for the England youth teams too and was named the England Men’s Youth Player of the Year for 2014 and also picked up the Golden Ball award for the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup.

Despite Solanke’s success at youth level for both club and country, the Blues opted to move him on when his contract expired and he joined Liverpool in 2017 for a tribunal-set fee of around £3 million.

At the time it had seemed like a really exciting signing for the Reds, however the youngster certainly didn’t hit the ground running at Anfield.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Solanke made 26 appearances during his time with Liverpool but only scored one goal and was sold to Bournemouth for a reported £19 million two year after his arrival.

The forward once again struggled to score goals for the Cherries in the Premier League but has seen his tally much improve since their relegation and has since scored 44 goals in 86 league appearances.

Was it the right decision to sell? YES.

Tariq Lamptey

Tariq Lamptey joined Chelsea’s academy at the age of 8 and spent another eleven years there before making his one and only appearance for the senior team in a Premier League match against Arsenal in 2019.

The full-back became another academy graduate to make a first-team appearance under Frank Lampard, however it was the current Everton boss that went onto sell him a month later.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lamptey shone for Brighton & Hove Albion in his first season and, despite a long-term injury last year, has become one of the Premier League’s most promising defenders.

The 21-year-old has been linked with a number of top clubs and his first season on the south coast was met with a lot of questions as to why Chelsea let him go so easily.

While he would struggle to take the place of Reece James, the Blues struggle for depth in the full-back positions and have been on the hunt for new players.

Was it the right decision to sell? NO.

Tino Livramento

Born in Croydon, Tino Livramento joined Chelsea at under-9 level after previously playing as a striker for local club Roundshaw.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The teenager excelled through the ranks of the Blues’ academy and was named their academy player of the year for the 2020-21 season, in which he also made the bench for Premier League fixtures against Manchester City and Arsenal.

In July 2021, the club and player failed to agree on a new contract and Livramento quickly attracted interest from Southampton, Brighton, AC Milan and RB Leipzig.

A month later the right-back signed for Southampton and, like Lamptey, has become one of the most promising young full-backs in the English top tier.

Chelsea fans will be disappointed that they missed out on such a talented teenager, however there is also a £25 million buy-back clause included in his deal with the Saints which makes his move a lot easier for the Blues.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Was it the right decision to sell? YES (only because of the buy-back clause)

Fikayo Tomori

Fikayo Tomori joined Chelsea’s academy in 2005 and went onto become one of the big success stories of the London club.

After making his professional debut for Chelsea in 2016, the defender really begun to catch the eye during a loan spell with Derby County under Lampard.

The defender made 47 appearances for the Rams as they reached the Championship play-offs and he was named their Player of the Year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

HIs successful loan led to him being given a real chance at Stamford Bridge once Lampard joined his former club the following summer.

However, Tomori fell down the pecking order under Tuchel and made only one appearance during the 2020/21 season before he was loaned out to AC Milan.

A great spell in Italy then led to the Serie A giants signing him permanently for £25 million last summer - a decision which left a lot of Chelsea fans very angry.

With Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger both having left the club, while Cesar Azpilicueta is looking likely to leave too, the Blues could really do witih Tomori right now.

Was it the right decision to sell? NO.

Tammy Abraham

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After joining Chelsea’s academy in 2004, Tammy Abraham enjoyed similar success in the goalscoring department to Solanke.

Between 2014 and 2016, the striker scored a staggering 74 goals in 98 matches across the Blues’ various youth teams and soon attracted the attention of the first team coach Guus Hiddink, before making his senior debut in May 2016.

The following summer, Abraham joined Bristol City on loan and scored an impressive 23 goals in 41 appearances in the Championship, which was followed up with another loan move to Swansea City.

While his time in Wales wasn’t quite as successful, the youngster went onto become a fan favourite during a stint with Aston Villa - scoring 26 goals.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Like Tomori, the arrival of Lampard at Chelsea gave Abraham the opportunity he had been waiting for and he was handed the No. 9 shirt.

Abraham went onto score 15 goals in the Premier League in his breakthrough season for his hometown club, however went onto struggle for minutes under Tuchel.

Despite finishing the 2020-21 season as Chelsea’s joint top scorer (12 goals), Tuchel clearly didn’t favour the England international and he was sold to Roma for £34 million.

Abraham’s incredible form in Italy as his side won the Europa Conference League led to him being heavily linked with a return to England, with Arsenal very keen.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Chelsea also have the option to trigger a £68 million buy-back clause after he has spent two seasons in Rome - though it won’t be a very good look to spend double on their former player.

Was it the right decision to sell? NO.

Marc Guehi

After moving to England from the Ivory Coast when he was one, Marc Guehi joined Chelsea’s academy from Cray Wanderers as a young child.

After helping the U18s win the quadruple and reach the final of the UEFA Youth League, the defender made his senior debut in the EFL Cup in 2019.

His second and final appearance for the Blues came in October 2019 before he was shipped off on loan to Swansea City.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A hugely successful stint in Wales led to increasing interest from Crystal Palace, while Chelsea fans were adament that they needed to keep hold of this highly-rated centre-back.

However, the Blues opted to cash in on Guehi and he joined the Eagles for £18 million last summer - leaving Chelsea fans very frustrated.

The 22-year-old has certainly not disappointed at Selhurst Park either, becoming a fan favourite in his first season and also earning his first international cap in England’s friendly over Switzerland in March.

Was it the right decision to sell? NO.