Shim Mheuka: Meet the 17-year-old Chelsea goal machine generating real excitement at Stamford Bridge

Lethal in front of goal, skilful and someone who leads by example, why prolific forward is knocking on the door of the first-team

Mheuka is one of the most in-form youth players in England

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Shim Mheuka is still just 17 years of age but his instincts in front of goal tell of a player growing in maturity all the time.

Chelsea have a serious goalscorer on their hands and Mheuka is causing a stir that no one at the club can ignore. Right now, he is one of English academy football’s most in-form players.

The England youth international hit a hat-trick and registered a further assist in last week’s 5-2 victory over Benfica in the UEFA Youth League. He has racked up ten goals in as many games for the various youth age groups this season, and scored five goals in just three games for England Under-19s last month. Quite simply, the softly-spoken forward is on fire right now.

Chelsea staff are very optimistic about what the future holds for the Premier League 2’s player of the month for August, who first joined the Blues after impressing at U14 level for Brighton.

Mheuka featured against Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup last month and has made six first-team appearances

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Sources have told Standard Sport that he is “one of if not the most regular” academy player to join in with Enzo Maresca with first-team training, participating in their sessions even more consistently than Maresca’s favourite youngster, 16-year-old midfielder Reggie Walsh, a year younger than Mheuka to the day.

Often this means helping to make the numbers up the day after a game when many senior stars are in recovery so not part of full sessions, but sometimes it is a reward for his sparkling form at youth level. There has been plenty of that of late.

Mheuka already has plenty of first-team experience with Chelsea . He made his senior debut last December off the bench in freezing conditions in the Conference League match away to FC Astana, having been delighted when informed he would be aboard the plane headed for Kazakhstan and that strange match on far-flung shores.

His Premier League debut came in February in a 4-0 win against Southampton in which he came on for Enzo Fernandez.

“I felt like I could go onto Stamford Bridge pitch with zero hours of sleep and still be energised and ready for a game,” he said. “I’d played it out in my head many times. Everything was how I imagined it to be.”

Mheuka was presented with his Premier League debut ball after playing against Southampton last season

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A first start came against Copenhagen, when he surprised himself by how little nerves affected him beforehand when told in a team meeting by Maresca that he would be starting.

In total, he has six first-team appearances for Chelsea and was rewarded for his scintillating start to the campaign in the academy with 20 minutes off the bench in last month’s Carabao Cup win at Lincoln City.

Mheuka is a fast-mover off the pitch as well as on. He told himself upon signing his Chelsea scholarship last July not to rest on his laurels. Instead, that was, he insisted, to be a “fresh start”.

He spent very little time as a regular U18s player before being made a bona fide U21, and he now often captains Chelsea in various competitions.

Sources who know him well describe him as a “lovely kid” with an “infectious smile”, polite to staff around the training ground at Cobham but with a noticeable quiet confidence about him, a close friend to many of his academy team-mates who is welcomed warmly into the senior team whenever he is invited.

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Chelsea captain Reece James is more leader by example than by vocal force of will, and Mheuka is seen as a similar character.

His idol in playing style is Cristiano Ronaldo, but his idol growing up has been his father Malcolm, who enjoyed his own football career in Zimbabwe.

“My dad has been my biggest influence,” Mheuka said. “He’s been with me through everything, during the hard times, the doubts, the long drives. I play because I love football, but I also play for him.

“My mum keeps me grounded too. I’m only 17 and she reminds me of that; she lets me know it’s okay to make mistakes. Everyone does. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need to hear. I’m grateful for that.”

“Whenever I’m playing football is a moment to enjoy”, he said last season.

And first-team opportunities are sure to keep coming for Mheuka, especially if his current rampant pomp in front of goal continues.