Absolute Chelsea
·19 February 2026
Two Chelsea academy stars involved in first-team training ahead of Burnley clash

In partnership with
Yahoo sportsAbsolute Chelsea
·19 February 2026

Chelsea academy stars Jesse Derry and Shumaira Mheuka were both involved in first-team training on Wednesday in preparation for Saturday's Premier League clash against Burnley.
Following Chelsea's FA Cup fourth-round win over Hull City on Friday, Liam Rosenior decided to give his players some leave, taking advantage of the free mid-week schedule.
The players had about four days to recharge before reporting back to Cobham for training on Wednesday afternoon.
Key players such as Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Joao Pedro, and Reece James were all present in the session.
So is Romeo Lavia, who reportedly stayed behind at Cobham for recovery during the mini-break and is expected to make his return soon.
Interestingly, the two academy players who made substitute appearances at Hull City, Derry and Mheuka, were both involved in the training as well.
Derry made his Chelsea debut in that game, coming on to replace Estevao in the 77th minute, while Mheuka made a brief cameo in the final minutes.
Neither of the 18-year-olds has made Chelsea's matchday squad in the Premier League so far this season, although Mheuka already made his debut in the competition in February last year.
Considering Jamie Gittens' injury absence, Derry arguably has the better chance of making the bench for Chelsea in the next few games.

IMAGO / APL
The Blues currently sit fifth in the league table, a point behind Manchester United in fourth.
They will host Burnley this weekend, before visiting Arsenal for another Premier League derby the following weekend on March 1.









































