Five Chelsea wonderkids who should star v Lincoln include Santos and ‘ridiculous’ talent

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Chelsea have a plethora of young, exciting footballers, and tonight’s EFL Cup fixture against Lincoln City gives Enzo Maresca the perfect chance to use them.

While it’s crucial never to overlook an opponent, it’s widely expected that the Blues will rotate some of the first-team squad in this evening’s game to rest players and provide opportunities elsewhere.

It opens up opportunities for players who have been on the fringes of the squad and some of the academy stars who are chomping at the bit for an opportunity.

Maresca has proven he trusts his entire Chelsea squad by starting young players in the Europa Conference League last season. Blues fans are now excited by which players they might see kickstart their EFL Cup journey.

Tyrique George

Tyrique George is a player that Chelsea fans will be familiar with, as he’s already made several appearances for the club this season in the Premier League due to the team’s lack of depth up front.

With Liam Delap injured, George has been given opportunities to shine from the bench, and his energy has instantly made him a hit, despite how close he was to permanently joining Fulham in the summer.

Given that Joao Pedro isn’t fully fit and Marc Guiu is cup-tied after playing for Sunderland in the previous round, George seems like an obvious option to lead the line from the first minute.

Josh Acheampong

Josh Acheampong started the opening game of the season in the Premier League and helped the Blues win a point by keeping a clean sheet against the Seagulls. But since then, he’s not played a minute of football.

The young defender has a high ceiling, but he needs to be continually given the opportunity to grow and develop to ensure that he meets that ceiling.

This game against Lincoln will be the perfect opportunity for him to slot into the central role at the back, allowing Maresca to rest someone, and give Acheampong some much-needed game time.

It will also provide him with a much different type of test than playing in the Premier League. Due to Lincoln’s style of play, this game is set to be far more physically demanding.

Reggie Walsh

Reggie Walsh is a Chelsea Academy player who has received a lot of hype, mainly due to Maresca’s positive praise, as it has been clear that he’s a ridiculous talent with plenty of potential.

The Chelsea manager has publicly admitted the 16-year-old is his favourite player within the Academy setup, making it clear that he sees real potential in him, which is why it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him feature against Lincoln.

Maresca gave Walsh 90 minutes in the Europa Conference League semi-final last season, so he is comfortable putting the youngster in high-pressure situations.

With far fewer stakes riding on this game, it is a great opportunity for the midfielder to feature once again and showcase the developments he’s made over the summer.

Andrey Santos

There is a lot of excitement surrounding Andrey Santos and his potential to be a featured first-team player at Chelsea this season after an impressive loan spell at Strasbourg during the 2024-25 campaign.

He’s been a regular part of the matchday squad in the Premier League, and when Maresca has brought him on, it has been clear that the Brazilian is ready for more opportunities.

That could be provided to him against Lincoln, as it would be the ideal game for Santos to start, so he can showcase his full potential over 90 minutes.

TBR Football previously revealed that Chelsea have long-term plans for Santos; therefore, it would make sense for him to be given some game time here.

Sam Rak-Sakyi

Having attended Chelsea’s Academy since the age of eight, Sam Rak-Sakyi has worked his way up the system at Cobham, and he’s now ready for bigger opportunities at the club.

The 20-year-old central midfielder is an exciting prospect at Chelsea and has real talent with the ball at his feet, which was displayed several times last season in the Europa Conference League.

Maresca has already given him opportunities during his tenure, and this is the most logical first opportunity to continue that trend this season.

Starting Rak-Sakyi allows some of the more senior midfielders to rest after consecutive defeats against Bayern Munich and Manchester United; meanwhile, the youngster will get plenty of time in a game where he can make a genuine impact.