Mauricio Pochettino has revealed he has gone out of his way to do something rather unusual at Chelsea, as a way of providing a solution to the injury crisis currently rocking his side.
The Blues are currently without 10 of their first-team players due to health-related issues, including Reece James, Lesley Ugochukwu, Carney Chukwuemeka, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Romeo Lavia, Ben Chilwell, Levi Colwill, Christopher Nkunku and Conor Gallagher.
Pochettino says he has now had to call up nine academy players to first-team training as a result of the shortage in manpower due to injury, with his team set to face Newcastle United on Monday.
“Yesterday, there were nine young kids [training] from the academy,” Pochettino said on Thursday.
“We know really well the academy players. Yes, maybe they will have the opportunity to be involved [against Newcastle], for sure.
“We have an amazing academy we need to use in this type of circumstance. It’s to build the future, the confidence, to arrive and be part of the first-team.”