Who is Tyrique George? The Chelsea starlet linked with a move to Roma | OneFootball

Roma are closing on a deal to sign Chelsea starlet Tyrique George, after the Giallorossi switched their attention to the 19-year-old after growing tired of waiting for a concrete response from Manchester United outcast Jadon Sancho.

Various reports from Italy have linked the English winger with a surprise move to the Italian capital, despite the youngster’s breakout season for the Blues last campaign – playing 26 games in all competitions and being a big part of the club’s UEFA Conference League success.

Now, Roma are edging closer towards a permanent deal for the Cobham graduate with a reported fee of between €20-25 million.

But who is Tyrique George? And why is Gian Piero Gasperini so eager to sign the talented youngster?

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 10: Tyrique George of Chelsea during the pre-season friendly match between Chelsea and AC Milan at Stamford Bridge on August 10, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

Tyrique George – A Background

Tyrique George was born in February 2006 in London and really is Chelsea through and through. The winger joined the Blues youth academy in 2014 at the age of 8 and rose through the ranks of the West London club, making his first team debut last season in the Conference League play-off round against Servette.

In April, the youngster scored his first goal for his boyhood club, in a 3-0 away win against Polish side Legia Warsaw in the Conference League quarter-final. Under two weeks later, the 19-year-old scored his first Premier League goal against London rivals Fulham.

George has represented England at youth level and currently stars for the U19 national side.

Last season, George played 26 games in all competitions for Chelsea and has a winners’ medal for both the Conference League and the Club World Cup. Furthermore, the winger was voted as Chelsea’s Academy Player of the Season for 2025.

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 08: Tyrique George of Chelsea during the pre-season friendly match between Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen at Stamford Bridge on August 08, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

What kind of player is Tyrique George?

Tyrique George is very much a traditional winger.

The 19-year-old is fast, creative and effective in one-on-one situations. He thrives on the wing and often dares to take on a defender, rather than looking for an easy pass. Not only does he attempt this but he is successful at it too, whilst demonstrating great positional awareness for a player of his age.

George is viewed by the Giallorossi as being able to match certain characteristics of Sancho, who was the club’s priority target earlier in the window. And Sancho himself is a big fan of the English youngster, describing George on social media as “a top guy” with “the world at his feet.”

Whilst numbers can never paint the whole picture clearly, George has good statistics compared to positional peers, with Fbref showing the winger is in the 90th and 98th percentiles respectively for progressive carries and touches in the opposition penalty area. This demonstrates his willingness to get into dangerous positions and is indicative of his confidence despite his age.

ROME, ITALY – AUGUST 23: Gian Piero Gasperini, Head Coach of AS Roma, looks on prior to the Serie A match between AS Roma and Bologna FC 1909 at Stadio Olimpico on August 23, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

How would Tyrique George fit at Roma?

With the arrival of Gian Piero Gasperini as Roma’s new head coach this summer, the Giallorossi will likely be operating in some variation or another of a 3-4-3 this season.

In the Roman club’s opening Serie A fixture against Bologna, in which Gasperini’s side emerged 1-0 victors, the front three consisted of Matias Soule and Stephan El Shaarawy sitting on the flanks behind Evan Ferguson.

Whilst Tyrique George is a left-winger by trade, he is versatile enough to play on the right or also as a second-striker. This fits Gasperini’s needs well, as he could theoretically utilise the 19-year-old on either wing, in any variant of his 3-4-3. When the coach wants his wingers to tuck in a bit more centrally behind the number 9, George can do that – or if more direct wing play is required, the Chelsea starlet is capable of that too.

In all, whilst Roma fans may be disappointed on missing out on Jadon Sancho, Tyrique George is a lower-cost and higher ceiling signing who could prove to be a vital player for the Giallorossi for many years to come.