How Chelsea turned their academy into the ultimate production line: Which senior pros go above and beyond to help the young stars, how Enzo Maresca has eyes everywhere and the stat that proves Cobham is the envy of Europe

Within Chelsea , they call it ‘crossing the road’ when an academy boy receives word that he has been called up to train with the first team.

The two buildings at the training ground are separated by a single lane where you will usually see the groundsmen driving their buggies up and down. The zebra crossing is small, only three white lines to it and somewhat hidden by hedges, but the symbolism is seismic.

It is considered an honour to cross that road at their Cobham HQ and on Tuesday, it was the turn of a 15-year-old midfielder called Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli to work in front of Enzo Maresca .

The next afternoon, Nicoll-Jazuli started and scored for Chelsea’s Under 19s in a 6-3 win over Ajax in the UEFA Youth League. Later that night, Chelsea did not name an academy graduate in their starting line-up for the first time in 54 matches, but they finished with four on the field as their seniors defeated their Dutch visitors 5-1 at Stamford Bridge.

Reggie Walsh became Chelsea’s youngest player to appear in the Champions League after turning 17 two days prior. Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, 16, was named on the bench for the first time. Tyrique George, 19, scored the fifth goal which would have made him their youngest-ever scorer in the European competition had Estevao Willian, 18, not already hammered home a penalty earlier.

Before all this, Reece James was gifted a plaque by co-sporting director Paul Winstanley and co-director of recruitment and talent Joe Shields to celebrate surpassing 200 appearances for his boyhood club, an academy graduate turned double centurion.

Reggie Walsh became Chelsea’s youngest player to appear in the Champions League, having turned 17 two days before facing Ajax

Before kick-off, Reece James was gifted a plaque by Paul Winstanley and Joe Shields to celebrate surpassing 200 appearances for his boyhood club

Chelsea's England youth international striker Shim Mheuka is one of the jewels of their academy

Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli (right) 'crossed the road' at Cobham this week, training with the Blues' senior team for the first time

This was a good week for Cobham. Yes, Chelsea spend big on signing talented teenagers from all corners of the globe. They have more arriving next summer, such as Geovany Quenda, 18, currently with Portuguese side Sporting CP, and Dastan Satpayev, 17 and at Kairat in Kazakstan.

But there remains no better club to be at if you are a budding footballer, for a few reasons.

Cobham’s track record speaks for itself, with data showing this conveyor belt creates more professional players in the top-five leagues in Europe than any other academy. Tino Livramento at Newcastle and Marc Guehi at Crystal Palace are among their high-profile alumni.

As one academy source added when asked for his opinion: ‘If you’re not going to be a Chelsea player, you’ll likely land somewhere else that does value (you) because of your education and growth.’

There were concerns the academy might suffer after the 2024 departures of key figures Neil Bath and Jim Fraser, whose work was unparalleled, but the chances are still there for Nicoll-Jazuli et al today.

The Conference League last season helped. That gave Maresca an opportunity to take a closer look at those coming through. He sends one of his assistants to every game involving the development side so that they can report back.

He handed first-team debuts to George, Sam Rak-Sakyi, Ato Ampah, Kiano Dyer, Shim Mheuka, Harrison Murray-Campbell, Genesis Antwi and Walsh in that European competition. They won that, then became world champions in the summer.

James lifted that Club World Cup trophy next to Donald Trump in the United States. That’s the dream: to have one of their own front and centre, raising silverware for the seniors, inspiring others on the same pathway.

James lifts the Club World Cup trophy next to Donald Trump over the summer - an encapsulation of the dream on offer to Chelsea's academy kids

Defender Levi Colwill, himself an academy graduate, goes out of his way to make Blues youngsters feel at home

Clearly, competition is fierce. Graduates have to show why they deserve their chance while the club’s challenge is to avoid losing those who have the potential to go on to become Premier League regulars. Rio Ngumoha, who turned 17 in August, had his own reasons for leaving for Liverpool. As did Donnell McNeilly, the 19-year-old now with Nottingham Forest. George nearly left on deadline day for Fulham in pursuit of guaranteed game time.

But it helps that Chelsea have constructed the most youthful side around. Last season, they averaged the youngest line-up in Premier League history, at 24 years and 36 days. This season, their average is 24 years and 116 days, still the youngest among England’s elite.

On Wednesday, Maresca named the youngest side in the Champions League this campaign and the second-youngest ever in the competition’s history, at 22 years and 163 days.

Those at Cobham see how their club prioritise youthfulness. Of all the Premier League sides, Chelsea are as likely as any to show trust in a youngster, so long as they are to the desired standard.

Indeed, 'crossing the road' may not be as intimidating a prospect as it once was when John Terry, Frank Lampard and Co were the ones waiting on the first-team field. As welcoming as they might have been, they carried legendary statuses. Now, Nicoll-Jazuli heads over, sees competition closer to his age, and can feel somewhat less out of his depth.

Levi Colwill is currently sidelined by his ACL injury but as a former graduate himself, the 22-year-old is said to go out of his way to help the youngsters feel at home, along with James, 25. Colwill has now set up his own academy with non-league side Sholing, too.

The staff at Cobham believe in giving chances across all of their groups, with youngsters competing above their ages for the Under 21s, the Under 19s, and so on.

The same goes for the senior side and with Qarabag their next Champions League opponents, sandwiched between Premier League clashes with Tottenham and Wolves, we are bound to get a further glimpse into the future.