Chelsea Teenager Could Make A Permanent Switch To RC Strasbourg: Good Decision On The Cards? | OneFootball

Chelsea’s youth project always generates interest. Their academy have developed big names and keep a steady stream of talent dreaming of making their debut at Stamford Bridge. However, the route to the first team is rarely straightforward. Pressure, fierce competition and the urgency of results make it difficult for many youngsters to get real minutes. Today, the spotlight shines on Ishe Samuels-Smith, a promising English defender who arrived from Everton after shining at youth level. At just 19 years old, his name is beginning to circulate strongly in France, and his immediate future could take him away from English football to make a leap that many see as necessary.

Chelsea Teenager, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Could Make A Permanent Switch To RC Strasbourg

According to a report from Football Insider, Samuels-Smith is in advanced talks to sign for RC Strasbourg. The defender is yet to make his first-team debut for the Blues despite his consistency at youth level in England. Chelsea signed him two summers ago after closely following his development at Everton U-18. Today, with a contract until 2031, he knows that his chances of playing time are slim with Enzo Maresca. If his transfer is completed, there is talk of a figure in the region of £5.1 million. A logical deal considering that both clubs share ownership under the umbrella of The BlueCo.

Good decision on the cards?

From our perspective, this is a sensible exit for all parties. Samuels-Smith needs to play. He is a young profile, with room for error and learning that will hardly fit in a Chelsea plagued by competitive urgencies. Strasbourg offer a more relaxed environment, ideal for him to develop regularly. The Blues do not lose him altogether: they keep indirect control over his potential. Should he explode, a return would always be possible or, at the very least, an attractive financial return would be guaranteed.

Moreover, this model has already been seen with Mathis Amougou, who crossed the channel to France with a similar operation. Many fans fear losing young talent through a lack of opportunity, but today it is better to see a 19-year-old getting real games than warming the bench in London. Not everyone has the ceiling of a John Terry or Reece James. Sometimes growing up means moving away. What is certain is that, if Samuels-Smith makes the step up, he will be following a path that others have tried before and that, if well managed, could bring him back to Stamford Bridge more fully formed. Meanwhile, Noni Madueke is closing in on a move to Arsenal.