List of Chelsea Academy Player of the Year

Who is Chelsea Academy player of the year? Many people have criticized Chelsea’s academy over the decades. Yet, they showed that they could produce exceptional players by selling Nathan Ake to Bournemouth for £20 million. Also, don’t forget about Bayern Munich’s relentless chase of Callum Hudson-Odoi. 

The below Chelsea Academy player of the year list is also evident proof. Let’s check it out!

Chelsea Academy Player of the Year since 2015

Dominic Solanke (2015)

• Full name: Dominic Ayodele Solanke-Mitchell
• Nationality: English
• Age: 25
• Position: Centre Forward

This striker won the first-ever Chelsea Academy Player of the Year award after earning 41 goals in the 2014–15 campaign. This also marked his first-team introduction as a late substitution in a 6-0 Champions League victory over Maribor.

Currently, this talent is competing for AFC Bournemouth. In 42 Premier League games for the Cherries, Solanke only managed to score three goals. However, he had found his footing since their drop, scoring 29 goals in the Championship last season to bring them back to the top flight.

>>> See more: List of Chelsea FC Academy Staff in 2022/2023

Fikayo Tomori (2016)

• Full name: Oluwafikayomi Oluwadamilola Tomori
• Nationality: English
• Age: 25
• Position: Centre Back

Tomori received the honor after contributing to the 2015–16 season’s victories in the Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League finals, and after having his first-team introduction as a 60th-minute substitute in the season’s last match.

After not appearing for the first team in the first half of the next season, he joined Brighton in January 2017. Here, the player made 10 performances before going on loan for two consecutive seasons to Hull and Derby.

Tomori was loaned to AC Milan for the second half of the 2020–21 season. He appeared to have fallen down the pecking order after Thiago Silva’s entrance. Later, he transferred to the San Siro for £25 million, where he excelled as they achieved the Scudetto the previous season.

>>> Read more: Kenedy Chelsea Profile

Mason Mount (2017)

• Full name: Mason Tony Mount
• Nationality: English
• Age: 23
• Position: Attacking Midfielder

Chelsea Mason Mount completed a brilliant season by assisting England’s triumph in the Under-19 European Championship when he was awarded the competition’s best player. In 2017, he led the Youth Cup team to its fourth straight victory.

He was invited to practice with the England national team after scoring an impressive 14 goals while on loan at Vitesse that summer.

Mason Mount then spent the following season, like Tomori, on loan at Lampard’s Derby, making a total of 16 goals and assists. After coming back to Stamford Bridge to sign a fresh five-year contract, he then enjoyed a tremendously impressive debut season with the Blues.

He contributed to the match-winning goal in the Champions League final, capping off his second season with Chelsea’s first squad. 

Currently, he is rightfully among the first names on Thomas Tuchel’s teamsheet.

Reece James (2018)

• Full name: Reece James
• Nationality: English
• Age: 23
• Position: Right Back

James received the honor after leading the Under-18s to yet another Youth Cup victory in 2017–18. He signed a four–year deal that summer, and spent the 2017–18 campaign on loan with Wigan.

Scoring three goals from several 46 games at both right-back and central midfield, he made a great impression at the DW Stadium. Thus, he won the Fans’ Player of the Year title with 96% of the voting, along with the Players’ Player of the Year and Goal of the Season honors.

Chelsea Reece James committed his future to the team by signing a long-term contract deal in January 2020. He, like Mount, finished the Blues’ second campaign with an amazing performance in a Champions League final triumph. The Englishman is certainly a crucial first-team fixture for many years to come.

Conor Gallagher (2019)

• Full name: Conor John Gallagher
• Nationality: English
• Age: 22
• Position: Attacking Midfielder

Gallagher is still awaiting his first-team Chelsea breakthrough. However, the footballer has made a significant impact on several loan stints away from the club. 

He first caught the attention at Charlton and Swansea in the Championship before shining in an otherwise weak West Brom squad that is headed for relegation.

• Read more: Top 5 best Chelsea midfielders players of all time

Billy Gilmour (2020)

• Full name: Billy Clifford Gilmour
• Nationality: English
• Age: 21
• Position: Defensive Midfielder

Since making a name for himself in the youth system, the Scottish Iniesta appears to have picked up Marcus Rashford’s talent for shining on his professional debuts.

He received the same honor in his first beginning for Scotland after being recognized as Man of the Match on his full Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League debuts for the Blues.

Tino Livramento (2021)

• Full name: Valentino “Tino” Francisco Livramento
• Nationality: English
• Age: 20
• Position: Right Back

The Englishman born in Croydon Livramento is an under-21 player who can also represent Italy because of his bloodline. He received the honor just before his £5 million transfer to Southampton in 2021.

He continued to play for Saints and made 28 Premier League games without seeming intimidated by the transition to the top level. Regrettably, a terrible ACL injury forced him to end his rookie season early, but he will return.

Harvey Vale (2022)

• Full name: Harvey James Vale
• Nationality: English
• Age: 19
• Position: Attacking Midfielder

The midfielder won the most recent Academy Player title for his impressive performance in the Premier League 2 last season. He contributed six goals and six assists.

Vale has already made five first-team performances for Tuchel’s Blues in the FA Cup and Youth Cup. So, it’s just a matter of time until he gets his Premier League debut.

Conclusion

That was the conclusion of our in-depth blog piece on the “List of Chelsea Academy Player of the Year Since 2015″. What do you think about this topic? Post a comment for us below. For more fascinating articles like this, check out our Football Players Chelsea website!