Italian manager Antonio Conte thinks Chelsea academy is on the rise following the progress made by Nigerian defender Ola Aina and other emergent stars.

The likes of Aina, Dominic Solanke, Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori started off at the academy, rising through the ranks before they were handed their first-team debuts, and ex-Chelsea striker Carlton Cole is a notable graduate of the academy.

England youth internationals of Nigerian descent Ike Ugbo and Tariq Uwakwe have been promised that they will be given a chance in the first-team in future.

“The Academy is doing a really great job. In my squad we have a lot of young players from the Academy – Chalobah, Ake, Ruben, Aina - and it’s important to have a link between the first team and Academy, ” said Conte to the national press at Friday’s press conference.

“These young players have stayed with me because they deserve it, not because I want to give them a gift.

“In the future I hope to absorb many players from the Academy.”

Victor Moses and Ola Aina will be hoping to get game time when the Premier League leaders travel to face Carl Ikeme’s Wolves in the fifth round of the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday.

Igho Kingsley

Photo Credit : chelseafc.com