Chelsea are continuing to put an emphasis on young players and the future following Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s takeover of the club.
Pape Daouda Diong has been training with Chelsea‘s first team despite still being just 17 years of age.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues will make a decision on whether the midfielder will join sister club Strasbourg on loan in the coming months.
Diong is just one of many young signings Chelsea have made over the last few transfer windows.
Last summer, for example, the club also brought in Lesley Ugochukwu, 19, Deivid Washington, 18, Angelo, 19, and Diego Moreira, 19.
Pape Daouda Diong could have a big future in the game
Now at Chelsea and already a full Senegal international, it is quite clear that Diong could become a real star in the future.
MORE CHELSEA STORIES
A lot is going to come down to how Chelsea handle his development. At 17, he is probably not ready for the first team, so loaning him out does make sense.
However, what they do not want to do is keep sending him out. Eventually, to fulfil his potential, being in the same environment and working under the same coach may be necessary. Without stability, it can obviously be hard for anyone to progress.
That has never been Chelsea’s policy, though. They have always been happy to send out their young players on multiple loans, with many struggling to find a way into the senior squad before being sold.
Which route is Diong going to head down? It is certainly going to be interesting to see. For now, though, it will do him no harm training with Chelsea’s senior squad and some top players like Thiago Silva and Raheem Sterling. At this stage of his career, he can learn a lot from such experienced pros like the England forward and Brazil defender.
