Ampadu shines on loan at Venice and is asking for a chance at Chelsea. Will he help solve the Blues’ stopper issue?

Chelsea have been in no shortage of talented youngsters of late. Mason Mount and Reece James have certain places in the starting line-up, Trevoh Chalobah is also getting a lot of opportunities. Gallagher, Broja and Gilmour are also waiting for their chance. But Ethan Ampadu shouldn’t be forgotten either.

Ampadu is a great talent in Welsh football and there has been a lot of interest in his services. He was eventually acquired by Chelsea at the age of 16. He was given a few opportunities in the A-team, but spent most of his time on loan.

He tried the Bundesliga at Leipzig and the Premier League at Sheffield United. This season he is spending in a slightly warmer environment.

Venice, a newcomer to Serie A, have signed him on loan. And both sides can be happy with that connection.

Venice are looking to stay in Italy’s top league after last year’s dramatic promotion, which they shot through in the final match. And the situation certainly doesn’t look as hopeless as many people predicted.

The team, which has impressed the footballing public with its jerseys this year among other things, is currently holding an undefeated 17th place in Serie A. It has managed to turn around strong opponents for points:: beating AS Roma, Fiorentina, Torino and managed to draw with Juventus.

And Ethan Ampadu, who has become an important and stable member of the starting line-up, is a big part of that. Only 3 of his teammates have played more minutes than him.

It is probably not surprising that he excels in defensive statistics. He is 2nd on the team in defensive rebounds (45), 3rd in blocks (39), and 4th in steals (35) and aerial duels won (31).

And he is also able to participate in the forward play, which is an increasingly welcome trait in modern defensive players. He has already recorded 3 assists, which puts him 2nd on the team. He is even 1st in progressive passing (53).

Especially his assist for the winning goal against AS Roma was worth it::

His versatility is also a big advantage. He is able to play as a stopper, right-back and defensive midfielder, where he plays the most in his current position.

9 yellow cards and 1 red card in 18 league games is just a lot. Last year, at the age of 20 years and 279 days, Ampadu even became the youngest player in EURA history to receive a red card.

The twenty-one year old all-rounder clearly has a very important year ahead of him in his career. At national level, he will face a barrage of World Cup qualifiers in March and, if successful, the World Cup itself.

At club level, he will first have to continue his tough fight to stay in Serie A. And in the summer he will probably have the opportunity to impress Thomas Tuchel during pre-season training.

If he continues his current performances, he could be a fixture at Chelsea. His chances may also be boosted by the contract situation of the London club’s stoppers.

Rüdiger, Azpilicueta and Christensen are all coming to the end of their contracts. And none of them have yet renewed. The question is whether Tuchel sees Ampadu as a defender or a midfielder. Could Chelsea’s midfield next season feature an Ampadu – Gallagher – Mount line-up?

We will have to wait a few months for the answers to these questions, but it is already becoming clear that another young talent in Chelsea’s service is starting to fulfil his potential.

Sources: Planet Football, FBref